No Hope No Escape
by thehappy
Summary: The lives of many intertwine in the nightmare that Raccoon City has become. With the arrival of a teenage girl in their midst, those fated to die may live through the survival horror. Contains gore, swearing, and blood. Crossover elements exist! Don't like it don't read it!
1. Stranded in Raccoon City

**Hello everybody! Now if your reading this, this story is a spinoff of my main story Dragon of the Cog and a few chapters from 'Battle for the Multiverse' from Unknown Legion…chapters 57 and 58 to be exact. **

**Yes, Wendy Marvell will be in this Resident Evil story. So if you've never read any of my stuff, you should check it out and it will make sense why she is the way she is. She is not some timid girl here…she will know how to fight and survive…without any magic. She is from the universe 137-C of my main story so she's a tough cookie. And yes, I understand this is a crossover…but have you checked how many FT/ RE crossovers there are? It's a deplorable one and I…I like my stories to be read and enjoyed, not tucked into some little corner of the fanfic site where nobody will find it. So if some of you message me or review calling me a fucking dumbass for putting this in the main RE…go suck a bag of dicks. I write this stuff for people to enjoy out of my free time. You don't like it being a crossover, go read something else. Nobody is forcing you. But anyway…I hope you enjoy this story and leave positive reviews!**

**P.S. If you've played the RE2 remake, the zombies will be taken down by one or two headshots. I personally think its bullshit to plug six or seven rounds in a zombies skull and they keep coming toward you. Granted, body shots would still be normal along with leg shots. Also, this will have elements of Outbreak, RE3, and RE2…so enjoy!**

**I don't own the rights to any media**

**Chapter one: Stranded in Raccoon City**

* * *

**September 29****th**** 8:33 p.m.**

The dead walked the streets.

Attempts by the local police to contain the disaster have completely failed as the infection continued to spread. Surviving citizens were being hunted…dragged down by the hungry hordes to feed on their flesh as the once thriving mountain community tore itself apart. Monsters reigned everywhere as the few still lucky to be alive strove for survival.

Fires had broken out everywhere, but any attempts by the Raccoon City Fire Department had been quickly snuffed out by the undead attacking the men and women. Very few survived to escape back to their stations…even fewer would make it out of the city.

Cars rested abandoned in the streets. Some simply had their doors flung open, the previous owners running for their lives from the zombies. Others…were mangled wrecks that still contained the rotting corpses of the deceased as blood splayed across the dashboard or windshield. Glass and garbage littered the roadways, the refuse a result of human's fleeing in panic as a light breeze carried the moans of the dead on the night wind.

A city bus had crashed into a building, spent brick and glass settled in the street as a low fire burned away at the third floor apartment above the crashed vehicle. The zombified form of a woman was inside, half her flesh charred as she beat against the glass of the window. It held…but the infected woman wanted to be free…to spread the virus coursing through her veins as her jaws hung open in an infected stupor.

A flash of light above the crumpled city bus lit up the street, attracting the attention of three more nearby zombies. Their shoes scuffed the pavement, one of them kicking away an empty can as they staggered drunkenly toward the disturbance.

"Gah!" Wendy gasped out as she landed hard from the portal, her side flaring slightly as her body collided with the metal roof. Multiple scratches and cuts covered her face, but none of them were serious as her body came to a rest. Taking a deep breath, she expelled air as her face darkened from what just transpired. That asshole demon had practically threw her in a breech blind…and she vowed that someday…she would fuck him up beyond recognition. Maybe have Levy build something to reduce his intelligence to zero…

"Damn that cock-sucking END…" Wendy muttered as she sat up slowly. Spotting her portal gun several feet away, the girl scrambled over to inspect the valuable tool to get her home. Its surface was cracked and a few jumps of electricity jumped from the power source…right before it failed with a low 'pop'

"Damn…" the girl told herself in annoyance. _"I'll need to fix this somehow. But right now, I need to find out where I…am…"_ The fifteen year told herself as her eyes widened. Finally taking in the state of her surroundings, the blue haired woman's breath hitched in her throat. The surrounding street was a pile of wrecked cars and trucks with broken glass reflecting the light of distant fires. Stores were either completely looted or boarded up as a fire hydrant spilled water over the asphalt halfway down the clogged road. And that's when she heard the moans.

Looking to her right, Wendy saw three zombies approaching her little safe haven with nightmarish wounds. The closest man was overweight and looked like he had been in his sixties. Threads of skin hung loosely from his cheek, exposing the raw gristle of muscle underneath as the other two reached the side of the bus.

The woman in the middle might have been a housewife…but it was hard to tell as a ragged hole in her throat spilled dried blood onto her formerly white shirt. A few gunshot wounds were apparent in her torso as dried crimson decorated the fabric, but it was obvious that whoever shot this undead creature failed. The last one was nothing but charred and cracked flesh, the smell rising as the skin continued to dance with small flames.

"OH SHIT! DON'T TELL ME!" The girl yelled out as she looked around the area once more. Eyes peering into the darkness of the skyline, Wendy made out a billboard advertising the Raccoon City Zoo.

Letting out a low sigh as the zombie's hands raised up and grasped at the side of the bus, their snarls and groans became background noise as the young woman started to inventory what she had. Patting herself down, she saw a few scrapes on her body armor…but nothing serious as her leg greaves and Kevlar gauntlets were also still intact. Her pistol was still holstered on her right hip, the JMB Hp3 a gift from her close friends in her own reality…and probably will be a life saver in the times to come.

Equipped with a laser sight and a capacity of thirteen 9mm bullets, Wendy knew the ins and outs of her weapon. Patting the spare magazines located behind her pistol holster, she felt reassured that all three magazines were still safe and secure. Checking her left side, the carrying pouch was there as well as she placed her broken piece of technology inside. There was still room for things later along with some spare pockets along her cargo pants she reasoned simply. Reaching over her left shoulder, the teenager felt her reassuring bat still attached to the magnetic plate of her armor. Gripping it as she brought it forth, the girl tried to decide on a course of action.

"Well…first things first…" She whispered before getting closer to the edge of the bus near the grasping undead. Discolored eyes filled with infection looked up at her…with only the desire to feed as she swung her bat down.

'**Crunch!'**

The blunt end cracked against the peeling and burnt skin of the closest zombie, staggering the creature as Wendy pulled back the bat. Part of its head was indented, loose skin hanging free as its teeth snapped, baying for her flesh. Bringing it down again, the blow was harder as the left side of the cranium caved in, spreading a small burst of ichor. The corpse fell to the street, its fellows nudging and stepping on the body as it lay still in second death.

The woman groaned, trying to swipe at Wendy as the girl retreated, intending to repeat the action on the other two.

The fire in the apartment above raged hotter, the heat enough to crack the glass as the walking bag of skin and bone managed to push through the window.

'**CRASH!'**

Snapping her head around, Wendy watching in a frozen horror as the half burned woman fell onto the bus roof barely a foot away as shattered glass rained down in her hair.

"SHIT!" Wendy cried out as she fell backward in surprise, her rear landing against the metallic roof. The woman crawled toward her, the half burned hand grasping her left ankle as it tried to drag the foot toward the cracked and broken teeth of rot. This turn of events seemed to actually excite the other zombies, making them rasp and groan louder.

"GET OFF ME!" Wendy screamed as she kicked the corpse in the head with her boot. It did the trick as the hand loosened, letting the girl pull her foot away as the zombie continued to crawl closer. Scrambling to her feet, the blue haired girl ran around the corpse as it started to rise.

"No, you don't!" She said loudly, swinging her trusty metal bat into the back of the right knee of her target. Bone crunched and broke under the blow, bringing the zombie back down to the aluminum roof of the crashed bus as it had tried to rise. Not wasting a single moment, the girl stood on its back before swinging the hardened metal bat down once more. The skull echoed with shifting and breaking bone, but it wasn't enough as it still thrashed for the human girl. Bringing more force next time, her face was curled into a snarl as Wendy embedded the blunt end of her weapon into the cranium, creating a gore strewn paste as the brain was destroyed.

Gasping loud from the exertion, her bangs hung loose as her right hand gripped the weapon. Turning her attention to the last two zombies still clawing at the sides of the bus, her blood froze as she heard moans from her left side. Lots of moans. Snapping her vision left, she gulped as two dozen of the infected staggered and limped from the north end of the street.

A low wail echoed over the crackling of fire above her from her right, making the girl look in that direction. More of the dead were coming, their numbers far more than her bat could handle. Glancing at the burning apartment above her, the fire was already spreading to more of the building as heat blasted down. It could be an hour or minutes…but eventually those flames would reach her temporary haven.

"Crap…well…time to use my magic…" the girl whispered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs…but found no buildup of her power. _"No! Don't tell me…it's one of those non-magic universes!"_

Halting her actions, the teenager realized very quickly that she needed to escape. No way she was going to get surrounded on a bus by thirty or forty of the undead. Looking for an escape route as the dead staggered closer and closer, her vision settled on a small flower boutique directly across the street. The front display window was gone, the shards of glass everywhere on the road as a dead body slumped over the low sill. As it stands…it was the only route to escape. Taking a few steps backward, the twin hordes of the dead were each only twenty feet away and staggering closer like a group of drunk cannibals. Running forward, her boots clanged across the metal roof before she arrived at the edge. Pushing off the lip with a leap, Wendy jumped over the two grasping undead. Landing on her feet, she immediately sprinted for the flower shop as the dead homed in. Their snarls and gasps for flesh were around her as she ran, the young woman knowing she had to find someplace safe.

Feet pounding across the broken glass in the street, the girl leapt over the low window sill to enter the structure as the horde merged and gathered outside. Rushing through the store, she noticed pools of blood on the floor or sprayed across several flower pots in the aisles. But there wasn't time to look for supplies as the groans of the infected surged toward the store front.

Reaching the backdoor of the shop, she quickly grasped the doorknob and turned. The door opened partially…but not enough for her to get through.

"Shit!" she hissed as Wendy looked back, the first of the dead already stumbling through the broken display window. Some were slashing their legs open on the large shards of glass or tumbling to their stomachs, but there were far too many to fight now.

Throwing her shoulder into the door, Wendy saw it give slightly as it gave a shuddering groan of rusting metal from the other side. Her arm throbbed from the blow, but she tried again as the door opened a little more. Rearing back for one more charge, Wendy hit with all her available force. The metal door opened just enough as she started to squeeze through the gap. The size of her growing chest made her suck in a deep breath as she wiggled through, the closest wailing corpse only seven feet away.

Springing free of the narrow opening, Wendy saw the dumpster that had inhibited her escape as the zombie staggered closer from inside the shop…followed by many others. It was a grown man with a heavy beard streaked with blood and bits of skin flopping against his forehead.

"He'll make it through…" she quickly reasoned before grabbing her pistol and snapping it up. Gripping with both hands, she had the laser sight centered on its bobbing head in a moment as it rasped and extended its arms. Pulling the trigger, a flash of cordite and noise sent the nine millimeter bullet speeding through the air as it punched through the bridge of the former human's nose. Splintered blood and bone burst out the back as it crumped to the floor, making several of the other walking infected lose their footing.

Having bought herself several seconds, Wendy flung the door shut with a resonating 'clang.' Running toward the nearby dumpster, she pressed her back into it as piles of refuse hung over the side. Digging her feet into the alleyway of brick, Wendy pushed backwards with all her might as banging started to echo from inside the shop.

"Damn…Come on!" She urged herself on as the dumpster slowly started to move. Muscles straining with exertion, the metal screeched as more momentum was built. Feeling it slide, the large trash container of metal made it halfway across the distance before the door was pushed open by the clawing dead inside. Feeling the container halt in its momentum, Wendy halted her attempts as she moved away. Glancing inside the doorway, it was only open by several inches as a pale arm covered with ragged bites wavered and clawed through. Seeing the snapping teeth of the dead businessman inside, Wendy concluded that he wouldn't make it through for the time being.

Turning on her heel, she found only one path available as a van parked in the alleyway to the south blocked any attempts for passage. Walking north, the fifteen year old left the flower shop behind as she hefted her baseball bat. After all…she couldn't waste ammunition. Kicking away a spilled can of coca-cola in the trash strewn alleyway, she moved cautiously while a few distant screams and gunshots echoed from afar.

"Sounds like a few people are still alive here…" she whispered to herself as she walked. Constantly checking for threats, her ears strained for sounds as the alleyway turned to her right.

'Slurp…crunch…slurp'

The sound came from around the corner of the alleyway, near several knocked over garbage cans as Wendy slinked up to the corner. Peeking around the foundation of brick that supported a six story apartment building, Wendy wanted to throw up.

Two of the undead were feasting on a now deceased woman, their teeth ripping away skin and sinew as they chomped. Gristle was hanging loosely between their crimson teeth as dried blood coated their chins. Based on what they were wearing, one of the feeding corpses had been a construction worker while the other had been a female gas station attendant. The attendant's intestines were spilling out, but neither of the infected noticed as they continued to feed their endless hunger. Glancing past them as they continued to rip and tear skin, Wendy observed a stone staircase at the end of the alleyway.

Ducking back as one of the zombies grunted, the blue haired girl gripped her bat in both hands as her fingers clenched. _"I need to be smart…fast…I can't assume the others will find me if I ended up here randomly. I need to survive and make it home"_ She silently vowed before leaving the safety of cover.

Moving slowly, her feet scuffed the brickwork as the stench of rot got stronger and stronger. The construction worker pulled at some intestine from its victim, pulling them like a horrid spaghetti as slick blood coated his fingers. Running forward the last few feet, Wendy achieved surprise on the large man as she brought her trusty bat down on the back of his skull. It crunched heavily under the force as the front of the face collided with the brick lain alleyway.

Turning rapidly as the zombified woman snarled at the disturbance and started to rise, Wendy leveled out a swing like a pro hitter. The metal caved in the attendant's nose, pushing cartilage up into the brain as the body slumped against the wall.

"Hurng!" The teenage female gasped as she moved her feet closer and swung again. Burying the bat into the zombie's face, bone broke under the blow as a rotting eye burst rancid fluid. Not taking any chances, she turned to the larger man as he grunted and groaned. His palms were slick with intestinal blood as he tried to push himself upward to feast on the human. Stepping on the back of his construction vest, Wendy raised the bat high.

"No second chances for you…" she whispered before bringing it down and caving in another skull. Gasping for air, Wendy turned her attention to the partially eaten victim. Swinging hard again, she figured it was better safe than sorry as the head caved in with a small burst of gore.

Breathing in a lungful of air, the girl wiped a few droplets of sweat away. Bashing in zombie's heads was hard work after all. Wiping the excess blood and bits of hair against the large man's vest, her weapon was…slightly cleaner.

Letting out another sigh, the fifteen year old proceeded up the steps and left the corpses behind. Walking for about a minute, the path turned to the left this time as embers of orange ash drifted through the air. Taking cover at the corner, she poked her head out to observe.

Immediately, her heart sank. The exit of the alleyway was completely blocked with a tangle of cars and trucks. Of course, the roaring inferno of heat didn't help as several vehicles burned without abandon. Metal popped and hissed under the heat…along with the rasping of burned throats. Squinting her eyes as the light of the fires flickered, Wendy cringed as several of the undead grasped and wiggled in the burning pileup. The stench was horrible…like a rotten barbeque as the flesh continued to cook and sizzle.

Walking out of the shadows, the young woman started to move forward to try and find some other way out of this alley. The heat was intense as she kept a safe distance, the zombies inside effectively trapped while the embers floated into the night sky. Moving her head around, she spotted salvation on her right barely ten feet from the wrecks.

An emergency ladder was hanging down toward the ground, its metal flecked with fresh rust as the uncontrolled fire continued to burn.

"Well…it's either that or go back to the flower shop…" she reasoned to herself as she tentatively touched the first rung. It was hot…too hot to grab onto directly as a zombie in the flames seemed to turn its attention toward her. Stuck in the passenger seat of crumpled minivan, it was restrained as fire danced and ate its skin.

The smell was even worse as she gagged, a quick updraft of wind pushing the vile aroma toward her as she covered her nose.

"Ugh...that's so nasty" Wendy commented as she started to look around. Eyes finding something of interest along the left side of the alley, she stooped down to pick up a few dirty rags.

"It'll have to do" she told herself while quickly wrapping her hands in the grimy towels. Re-approaching the fire escape ladder, she didn't hesitate as her enshrouded hands gripped the first rung. Feeling the heat of the metal already starting to seep through, the girl hurried as she started to climb.

Reaching the top rung, Wendy pulled herself up to the first landing. Flinging the wrappings off, she blew on her hands that had taken on a hint of redness. The towels had barely done the job…but it was enough to prevent scalding burns as a loud 'thump' shook a nearby window pane.

A zombie was pressed against the glass, half his face torn away as it pressed against the clear pane. Leaving a bloody smear, its jaws snapped and clacked while its bloody fingertips clawed at the glass.

"Oh…time to go" She reasoned to herself as she ran past and up to the second floor landing. Boot's clanging against the metal steps, Wendy wasn't particularly worried about being noisy at this point in time. After all…she only had one direction to go right now. Climbing onto the last platform at the fourth floor, she stepped over the small barrier onto the roof.

A few heating ducts were toward her right near the maintenance door as it led into the building. The metal door was currently closed, a body slumped up against it as the head tilted forward toward the chest.

Pulling her pistol free, Wendy slowly approached the possible threat as her boots kicked a few loose pebbles away. Circling around in a wide arc, she kept her eyes peeled for any other threats but maintained her steady aim. The laser dot wobbled slightly as she moved, but it was trained on the man's head as she finally completed her sweep of the roof. Noticing the revolver hanging loosely from his left hand, Wendy finally saw the gaping hole in the temple….along with the horrendous bite mark on his neck.

"Killed himself before turning…makes sense I guess" she said to nobody while walking forward. Stooping down, she picked up the handgun. It was large in her hands…probably a powerful caliber as she snapped open the cylinder. Four bullets remained, making the teenager grin. Starting to pat the man down, she looted the corpse of three more bullets and a lighter.

"I doubt I have the strength to use this, but maybe I'll find somebody who can" She reasoned while sliding the lighter in a pocket while the handgun and spare cartridges went into her storage pouch. Turning away, she moved toward the edge of the roof to try and get her bearings.

Multiple fires burned in the distance along with a few more gunshots, but there was nothing she could do about that. Multiple buildings were completely dark, the fate of their inhabitants unknown while others were still lit up with glowing electricity. This meant at least part of the city was still powered…at least for the time being. Staring straight ahead, Wendy could make out a five story building two streets away to the north.

It was the Raccoon City Press, and the it looked like there were no fires nearby. The streets were probably a different matter, but she could understand that. Turning her gaze, her eyes settled on the Raccoon City Police Department, its façade still lit up by floodlights in the night sky.

"If anybody is alive…it's probably there. But it's much farther away" The teenager reasoned to herself as the distant building shone like a beacon of sanctuary. Shaking her head, Wendy knew it wouldn't be possible to reach it at this moment. Looking down into the burning street below, the girl saw a tangle of cars and trucks. It was a massive pile-up as several undead staggered about, but they were listless. However…as she continued to observe, Wendy started to see a pathway between the cars.

An armored truck had tipped over on its side, the back end wedged against a building while two zombies milled about near the entrance to another side alleyway. The cabin was crunched inward as another car had crashed into it, spilling the driver onto the hood as blood illuminated itself against the nearby flames. This meant that the roadway to the alley was almost blocked…but not quite. Scanning to the right side of the horizontal street below, another half dozen walking corpses inhabited the roadway near an overturned truck as their moans rose through the air. Moving along the edge of the rooftop, Wendy continued to study the immediate area to try and find an easy way down. Unfortunately, there wasn't as the other side of the building was just a long drop down to a narrow alleyway filled with trash. Turning back, she returned to looking at the turned over armored truck.

"If I don't stop and just run…I probably could make it through before any of them have a chance to grab me. Of course, that alley across the way could be filled with dead people and then I'm fucked. Of course, if I stay here that inferno will spread to this building and cook my ass" Wendy reasoned before standing up.

"No choice. Newspaper office it is"

Now having a set destination, Wendy moved toward the maintenance door and quickly moved the corpse out of the way. It was heavy, but it moved easily enough after a few moments of tugging. Letting the body drop to the roof, Wendy slowly opened the access door with her pistol raised. Stepping in onto the landing, she closed the door behind herself with a soft click.

The stairwell was bathed in red lighting as emergency bulbs flickered and hummed above. Looking down the stairs, Wendy saw a few cardboard boxes tucked at the corner, but nothing seemed of use.

"At least it's not pitch dark…" She reasoned while taking a tentative first step down the concrete stairs. Feet moving slowly, she kept her pistol raised during her decent to the next landing as her finger never wavered far from the trigger. Sweeping wide, the girl rounded the corner with a rush of movement as the next set of stairs came into view.

Nothing was there except the door leading to the third floor, but she didn't need to go that way as she proceeded in silence past the doorway. Heading down the next set of steps, Wendy headed to the second floor as red light continued to bathe the walls like sinister crimson. Reaching the next floor in moments, the girl silently cursed as the path down to the first floor was completely blocked. Somebody had wedged chairs, cabinets…even a couch into the passage to prevent anything or anyone from breaking through.

"Probably tried to stop the dead…" she reasoned silently before gripping the doorknob to the second floor. Turning the circular handle with her left hand, she kept her weapon raised in her right hand as she pushed it open.

A loud, annoyed rasp reverberated mere feet from her as the door revealed a zombified woman standing less than five feet away. Turning with a snarl, Wendy saw the right arm hanging by a few sinewy tendons as the left arm raised to grab her.

"SHIT!" The girl shouted in surprise. There was no time to line up a headshot as the zombie lunged, trying to ensnare the fifteen year old as the right arm tore free. It thudded to the floor like rancid meat, its movement not even noticed by the girl as she fired two bullets into the zombie's left leg. The gunshot's echoed in the hallway, filling the air with a few wafts of smoke as the bone and cartilage splintered.

Wendy barely avoided the falling woman, stepping back as it continued to crawl toward the doorway. The one lone hand clawed forward, making the movement's pitifully slow as the teeth snapped and sought to sink into her skin.

Raising a boot, Wendy brought the force down on the back of the skull, inciting a heavy blow as the zombie gasped with a sorrowful moan. Raising it again, she felt some of the skull give away against her sole. A third time finished the job, splashing a few specks of brain matter onto her boot, lower leg armor and pants.

Two more rasping groans had her snapping her head up, the fresh gore on her person forgotten as a duo of infected started to move down the hallway of the building. Her actions had garnered their attention, making any chance of avoidance impossible. One had been a little girl…maybe seven or eight years old as several fingers were missing on the left hand in the low light of the emergency illumination. The other had been a burly biker, his chest a nightmare of torn skin and muscle as the duo continued to march forward.

Raising her firearm, Wendy centered the laser light on the little girl's forehead as she broke away, her movements faster as another sickly groan escaped cracked lips. Squeezing the trigger, a flash echoed off the reddish walls as the gun gave a slight jump in her hands. It was a great shot, boring right through the forehead as bone and blood blew out the back of the head.

Shifting her aim as the first body fell to the floor, Wendy aimed at the second walking corpse. Firing, the girl cursed as the biker's head bobbed to the left. Flecks of bone and skin spun away from the temple graze, making some of the hair on his pale face flutter.

It drew closer, already halfway down the hallway of blood red light as the fixtures above continued to hum illumination. Shadows danced as Wendy re-aimed, her next squeeze of the trigger sending a round through the left eye. Staggering backward on unsure feet as the fresh wound leaked viscous fluid, the biker wobbled a bit…before resuming its march toward the girl.

"Tough bastard, aren't ya!" She said much too loudly as she fired a third time. The gunshot echoed, making her ears slightly ring in the enclosed space as it punched through the ridge of the nose. A small explosion of ruined bone and brains blew out the back, finishing the infected man off once and for all as he fell to the carpeted floor mixed with puddles of blood.

"Crap…seven bullets so far" she scolded herself as she moved forward, her boots padding across the low thread carpeting. The doors leading to several apartments were closed or boarded up as she kept her gun raised. Passing an apartment that was boarded up with extreme haste, a loud 'thud' and groan wafted from the other side as it rattled in the frame.

"Yeah…I'm sure I wasn't stealthy at all…" Wendy reasoned as she walked past, having no intention to pry open the barricade. Finally reaching the end of the second floor hallway that had a window facing the street, she peered out.

The pile-up of vehicles was still burning to the left, the mangled mass completely sealing off the street from that direction as she tracked her eyes right. The two undead near the alleyway of her destination were still standing there…staring slack jawed into space as reflective shards of glass scattered the road.

Taking a step back, the young woman eyed the elevator to her left. The doors were partially open, but no lights of power lit up the button panel as the lift car seemed to be wedged between the second and first floors.

"No way…even if it did work, I'm sure there would be a mini horde inside or some crap" she reasoned before studying the door on her right. It was slightly ajar as she approached. Blowing a strand of blue hair out of the way, she pushed it open slowly.

The smell was awful, a horrid mixture of shit, copper and fear that made her cringe as the door opened fully to reveal the apartment. The living room had the scattered remains of half a dozen bodies littered about…and most had been eaten to the bone. Strands of intestine and muscle decorated the once white carpeting near the deceased. One had been completely pulled apart, the horrified look on the man's face frozen in time as the head lay separated from the body. The other corpses were even less recognizable as blood and ichor covered the walls and floor. It was a horrifying and disgusting sight as Wendy walked into the main room.

"God…I don't think there's enough left for them to reanimate…" she whispered as her boot squashed down something soft. Looking down, she had accidentally stepped in a pile of…left over organs as her face contorted in a soft horror. Gulping deeply, she averted her eyes from the bloodbath as she set about searching the apartment.

'_Don't think about the piles of bodies…don't think of it" _she tried to tell herself as she walked past the couch…and immediately stopped her movements. A gaping hole was in the floor to her left, nestled behind the furniture near a window. A pair of legs were near the rupture in the floor, but no upper torso could be found as intestines dangled down across the shattered wood to the hole. Pointing her gun toward the ominous cavern in the floor, the girl was taking no chances. Whatever had happened in here…it had come from the floor below.

Circling around, she continued to look down as the room below seemed to be devoid of movement or life. Sighing as she knew that she would have to check, Wendy got to her knees and peered into the gaping floor.

Hair hanging down, her vision was upside down as her eyes tracked for movement in the immediate area. Nothing moved that she could see, but the room was dark…except for the glow coming from under the hall doorway. Raising her head back up, she made herself ready to jump down.

"Whatever did that…probably long gone now…at least I hope so" she whispered to herself as she prayed silently. Pushing off the edge away from the hanging intestines, the fifteen year old landed on her feet in the darkened living room in a small crouch. The moans of distant undead wafted through a broken window behind her that faced the alley, but there was far too much broken glass still sitting in the frame…along with steel bars. Even if she knocked out the glass, it would be pointless since she was quite incapable of bending steel. Chuckling to herself as she imagined such a feat, the idea quickly passed as the wind carried the sounds of the dead toward her.

Turning her gaze toward the doorway to the first floor hall after a few more moments, Wendy could see the flickering of light and fire reaching under the door…along with a few strands of smoke. Approaching the partition, she could feel some of the heat on the other side…and knew time was of the essence.

'_Skritch…scrit'_

Swiveling her head in an instant as her eyes widened, Wendy couldn't believe she had missed it. A trail of soaked blood and a few pieces of flesh had been dragged from where she landed toward the partially opened bathroom door. With the darkness of the room, it had been easy to dismiss it as a shadow. The horrible sound of tearing skin and muscle reverberated through the apartment moments later.

Glancing up to the hole she had jumped down, Wendy finally saw the claw marks in the ceiling. They were spaced evenly, marching across the entire length of the room toward the hole as a few strands of intestines dangled freely.

"_TIME TO GET OUT OF HERE!" _She reasoned with a hint of panic, not having any desire to meet the monster that was still busily feeding in the next room. Rushing toward the doorway, Wendy didn't stop as she threw her full weight forward in a small leap.

The wood splintered easily, the flames on the other side weakening the material as the door flung open on a spray of embers. Running into the hallway, it was almost completely engulfed in flames as smoke and ash rose.

A gargled rasp rose from down the hall, a zombie completely burned to a horrendous crisp homing in on the noise. Chattering and skittering legs echoed from behind her, the monster disturbed from its meal as Wendy turned and ran for the front doors.

Boots thudding down the singed carpeting, the walls were licking flames as Wendy ran past a corpse leaning against the wall, it body slowly being eaten by fire. The smell was like rancid pork as it shifted, a blackened arm of cracked skin reaching for her as it moaned a death rasp.

Dodging to the right hand side of the hallway, Wendy ran through the broken doorway onto the street as the pile up of vehicles continued to burn. A slow scuffling of shoes caught her attention as another of the infected staggered from the wrecks to the left. It had been a woman…maybe. But the body was so damaged that Wendy couldn't even tell as flames licked and ate at the chest and shoulders.

Ignoring it as the sound of skittering feet echoed behind her, the teenager turned to the right and ran past the smashed sedan as embers floated through the night air. Reasserting her direction toward the alleyway, her boots gripped the pavement as the two walking corpses homed in on the meal of fresh human. Putting on a burst of speed, her lungs heaved as fear made a great motivator to run. Leading them closer to the left along the undercarriage of the armored van, she zigged to the right as the closer one swiped.

The girl shuddered, feeling the rush of how close those cracked fingernails came to grabbing her as the two moaned in protest. Running down the alleyway to leave them behind as her chest heaved, Wendy tried to ignore the moans of hunger as the shuffling of feet slowly followed.

Much to her horror, the pathway was not clear as she ran past several overturned garbage bins. Two dogs were feeding on a dead girl, their teeth snapping and tearing at the skin and flesh as Wendy continued her sprint to escape the area. She had caught a glimpse of them both as her boots crunched the glass of a broken bottle…and they would not be friendly. Milky white eyes of cataracts filled with infection had been seen…along with missing chunks of skin exposing sinewy muscle.

Her footsteps were like a dinner bell to the duo of dogs as they immediately gave chase. Their speed was faster than the normal shambling corpses…and they wanted to partake in a new meal.

Rounding a corner to the right, Wendy had no time to slow down or check for dangers as she pumped her arms and legs. The hungry baying of zombified canines were behind her…and would eventually catch her if she slowed even a little bit. Moving as fast as she could past boarded up doorways and windows, the girl's boots thudded with each step.

A loud snarl echoed off the brick walls of the alley, one of the dogs jumping and lunging for her as teeth with bits of flesh stuck between them snapped. Barely dodging to the left, Wendy felt the wind pass as the jumping dog landed and continued to run after their fleeing meal. Chancing a look as she ran, Wendy's eyes widened at how close both of the canines were to catching her.

"SHIT!" She gasped out as the alley turned to the left this time. Running around the corner at max speed, she almost slipped on a pile of broken glass but managed to keep her footing. One of the dogs slipped, skidding to its side as fresh shards dug in the necrotic flesh, but quickly recovered as its partner kept up the chase.

Pumping her legs, Wendy's eyes grew with horror at what lay up ahead at the end of the alleyway. A chain link fence was blocking her path, stretching from side to side as a large refuse dumpster rested on the other side near the street up ahead.

"DAMMIT!" She cursed before pulling her pistol free. Knowing she was running out of time, Wendy looked behind her as she pointed toward the closest dog. Aiming while running was a stupid idea, but she was fleeing for her life and those two hellish canines were getting within jumping distance again.

Pulling the trigger, the first bullet ricocheted off the pavement, sparking between the two dogs as Wendy grimaced from the wasted bullet. Trying to re-aim as she ran, the teenager fired again as the gun jumped from the explosive force. The round hit the closest dog, winging the side of its head as a furrow of blood and bone chips sprayed away. It tumbled to the ground in a pile of legs, torn skin and fur, but that small victory cost Wendy speed as the other lunged directly at her back.

"NO!" She cried out while spinning at the last moment in a rapid backpedal. The former Doberman landed on her, pushing the girl to the ground with a hard blow as the air pushed from her lungs with a heavy gasp.

Teeth snapping at her face, Wendy pushed up under its chin with her forearm as the jaws closed mere _centimeters _away. Her arm strained as the dog snapped again, trying to push past her limited defense as rancid drool dripped onto her cheek and armor plate.

It surged forward, snapping again as the white eyes of death only saw fresh meat to spread the infection. Putrid breath washed over her as she kept managing to keep it at bay as the second dog tried to rise to its feet further back.

"GAH!" Wendy cried out as she griped her pistol and shoved it into the snarling maw of the Doberman. Pulling the trigger while closing her eyes, crimson sprayed against her cheeks as the bullet drove through the brain and spread a cone of red mist of flying bone flecks. Reopening her eyes as the second dog snarled, Wendy aimed with a single hand as the dead body slumped against her torso, pinning her down against the pavement.

The second dog charged, its torn pads leaving a few prints of blood in the darkened alley as Wendy tried to line up a shot. Squeezing the trigger, a flash of cordite and noise erupted from the muzzle as the bullet flew, striking the zombified dog in the chest. Blood burst, but it still came on as she fired again, trying to hit the vulnerable head. It staggered as the bullet destroyed part of the left eye, spreading a grisly spray of white fluid.

"_LAST BULLET!"_ She internally screamed as the weight of the corpse continued to press down. Aiming steadily as the maws of death opened mere feet away, Wendy fired one last time as the slide locked back, indicating an empty magazine. The round flew true, splintering canine teeth as it entered the brain with sickening ease. Slumping to the ground, the second body hit hard, landing on her gun hand as Wendy gasped for air.

"H…holy shit!" she called out to nobody as her adrenaline spiked and crashed. Her body was shaking from the close call…until she heard the approaching moans from the way she had came just moments before.

"Right…zombies…still after me" she reasoned while giving a grunt. Freeing her hand from the corpse, she quickly rolled the other rotting body off of her as her sense of smell reeled from the disgusting aroma. Standing up as the shuffling feet drew closer, Wendy quickly ejected the empty magazine and replaced it with a full one. Pocketing the empty mag for reloading later, she quickly moved her feet toward the fence.

Hooking her hands through the gaps, Wendy quickly scaled the chain link and swung over the top. Pushing off as the metal rattled, she landed in the garbage bin among discarded refuse just as a dozen walking corpses rounded the corner behind her.

Pushing her body over the lip and setting her scuffed boots on the pavement, the girl glanced back as the dead staggered and moaned, their cries mixing in with the distant noises of the necropolis. Some were still on fire, their skin blackened and cracked. A few were missing parts of their faces, loose muscle and flesh flapping with their movements as they sought the teenager.

"Sorry…no dinner for you assholes today" she quipped with a smirk before sliding up to the left corner of the alleyway. Peering out, she only saw a deserted street as a few cars were parked along the far side. The right end of the street was a barricade blocked by a garbage truck, but nothing seemed to be of interest in that direction. Moving forward, Wendy left the tiny horde behind as she moved past a music store. It was dark inside as she peered in, but she didn't want to risk making any more commotion then necessary. For all she knew, there could be half a dozen of the dead locked in a storeroom in the back…or some half crazed survivor.

No…she had a destination in mind as she moved past, her gun pointed to the ground as she kept an eye out on her surroundings. Coming to the end of the street a minute later, Wendy wiped some of the drool and blood from her cheeks as she stood in the former T-intersection.

The road south was completely blocked by a tangle of wrecks, her eyes spotting several corpses hanging from broken car doors or slumped against the hoods. Others…were moving in the tangle of twisted steel, but non seemed to figure out a path as the night sky pushed another breeze toward her. It had a nip of chill in it, but the soft wind was nothing to her as she looked north. Walking forward, Wendy kept her gun at the ready as her senses flared for information. She couldn't let her guard down just because the road way looked empty.

The left side of the road had a gate with a strange sundial of jewels she could see, but it was missing several of them. An alleyway directly across the way lead to a commercial pathway that was lined with small shops and restaurants, but nothing seemed to move down that way as well.

Walking forward, a firetruck had crashed into a police cruiser on the left, the larger vehicle practically crushing the black and white car as a dead fireman hung over the windshield. A deceased police officer rested against the door of his squad car, a long piece of metal sticking through his chest as the empty eyes stared off into the night. Several other vehicles had slammed into it from behind, sealing off the roadway to the north…except for half that led directly to the press office.

Eyes catching sight of a reddish-orange box near his thigh among piles of shattered glass, Wendy quickly walked over to pick it up. It was a box of 9mm bullets according to the description. Allowing herself a soft smile, she shook the tiny container to find it still partially full. Sliding the sleeve open, the girl quickly counted seventeen fresh rounds for future use. Continuing her search, she found five twelve gauge shotgun shells in his pockets….but no corresponding weapon. While feeling disgusted for searching a corpse, these bullets could save her life and it would be foolish to waste them.

Standing up as she placed the valuable finds in her pouch, the teenager started to head toward the press office. Moving slowly up the roadway towards the turn, she passed another wreck as her senses flared up from the sudden start of a new sound.

'_**Bang! Rattle! Bang!'**_

A heavy barricade was shifting and bucking at the entrance to an alleyway along side the far corner of the newspaper building as several rotting arms and hands poked through. Ravished moans of the dead wafted over the night air, their bays for hunger almost sorrowful as Wendy moved toward the heavy, wooden doors of the structure.

'_**CRASH!'**_

The barricade fell forward with a tumble of bodies as a few dozen of the dead spilled over each other in a pile. Some limbs broke and snapped under the weight as their nightmarish rasps filled the air. But that didn't slow them down as some started to rise, eyeing the human girl who had let out a silent curse.

"Shit!" she hissed out before yanking on the door handle…only to find it locked. Eye's going wide as fear and dread creeped up her spine, Wendy backed away from the locked entranceway. Raising her pistol to the nearest shambling body, her aim centered on the forehead while the head bobbed and weaved. Firing, it was a true shot as the projectile bore through the skull in an explosive passage.

The zombie fell easily, but more were coming and Wendy didn't have enough ammunition or time to kill them all.

"Dammit!" she cursed while shifting her aim to the next closest of the horde…a former business woman that had half her jaw torn away as sinews of flesh dangled. Her gait was skewered from a broken foot as Wendy fired, the echoing gunshot winging the temple as bits of blood flew away. Vision scanning for a possible way out of this situation, her hopes rose as she settled on the partially boarded up window to the lobby of the newspaper. Glass was sill hanging in the sill as two boards were nailed across the top…but she could easily fit.

"Fuck it! A few cuts are better than this!" she told herself before jumping through the window as the encroaching horde of the undead was only fifteen feet away. Shards of glass splintered and broke under the force as her backside barely cleared the closest plank of wood. A few small cuts formed on her cheeks, dripping slivers of crimson as Wendy came up into a roll.

Hurrying to her feet, the first of the dead was already at the window as its simple mind tried to figure out how to get the warm human inside. More were gathering, their rasps like a crescendo as they gathered outside with their hideous wounds illuminated by the moon above.

Looking around in a panic, Wendy tried to find some sort of escape route in the ruined lobby that had blood stains and furniture strewn about in a haphazard manner. Finally settling on the stairwell, she cursed her luck as the fire shutter was completely down. An emergency button was humming under a red light, ready to release the metal shutter. Running across the tiled floor in a sprint, Wendy slammed a palm against the button. The partition started to slowly rise, its scraping wheels echoing off the walls…before it got stuck at about a foot and a half.

"NO!" She yelled in frustration before turning at the sound of cracking wood and insistent gasps. The first of the dead was trying to climb through, the plank finally broken as more waited their turn. Raising her firearm, the laser light stabbed through the lobby as she quickly fired. The slug tore through the throat of the dead man in overalls, severing tendons as the head lost much of its support. Dangling at a sickening angle as strands of muscle exposed themselves, the zombie grunted as it tried to climb though once more. Firing off another round, her nose tickled at the stench of cordite as her second round bore through the former human's left eye. Falling among the hungry horde, he was easily replaced by another outside as Wendy's hopes to buy time were dashed.

"NO MORE TIME!" She scolded herself as she grabbed her bat and threw it under the shutter to the staircase beyond. Hearing the thud of a zombie falling to the floor, Wendy pressed herself flat and started to crawl under the partition in a panic.

"HERE! GIVE ME YOUR HAND!" A woman commanded from mere feet away as the manicured fingers extended. Not arguing, Wendy grasped the open palm with her own as she felt herself being pulled under the steel shutter. She had barely cleared it when a skeletal hand gripped her boot, trying to pull her back toward a hungry maw of grimy teeth filled with disease.

"AH! GET OFF ME!" Wendy screamed before kicking with her other foot. The other woman was still pulling her forward, but the zombie was coming with as its rotting face with peeling skin made itself known under the edge of the barrier. It snarled and snapped, trying to bring the girls foot to its mouth as the second woman let go and ran to a lifting handle on the left side. Gripping it firmly, she brought it down with feminine force, crushing the zombies head in one blow as brain and bits of gore splashed against the floor. Reaching up to the corner, the taller female quickly unhooked the emergency release power. After all, it wouldn't take much for one of the undead to hit that button again.

Gasping for air as she slowly pushed herself up a few steps as the metal partition shuddered under blows, Wendy finally got a look at her rescuer. A blonde woman in her mid twenties, she looked to have an athletic build as her hair was cut to end below her ears. Dressed in a burgundy pant suit, her jacket was hanging open as a white shirt covered her torso. She had a gun holstered and a small pouch on her right hip the teenager observed before finally speaking as her adrenaline crashed from the close call.

"Th…thanks…There was too many to fight…I'm…I'm Wendy. Wendy Marvell" she gasped between breaths on the cold staircase as the woman turned to face her with a soft smile.

"Nice to meet you Wendy. I'm Alyssa…Alyssa Ashcroft"

**And boom! That's my cliffhanger for now! I hope you all enjoy this first chapter! But don't worry, there will be more in the future! If you're wondering, Allyssa will be a MC in this story as she and Wendy work together to escape this nightmare. But don't worry, there will be other's as well. I'm actually hoping to have a few more survivors living through this…well…more like they cross paths instead too…**

**But all in all, I hope those that read this enjoy it and leave some positive comments or reviews!**

**Wendy: Oh..that sucked! THIS SUCKS SO MUCH!**

**Alyssa: At least you have a companion now**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	2. Teaming Up

**Hello! This is the second chapter of Wendy's bid for survival among the hordes of the undead! Last time she just met Alyssa so this will continue after that…obviously. And while I was hoping for a few more reviews and feedback, the ones that did were quite positive! So without any more waiting, here is the story!**

**I still don't own any media**

**Chapter Two: Teaming Up**

* * *

**September 30****th**** 9:15 p.m.**

The first thing Allyssa noticed about this young woman was the hair. Blue, flowing hair. Never mind the fact she was covered in body armor that had splotched of blood or other fluids. No…her inner reporter wanted to dig everything out of this teenager…but now was not the time.

The fire shutter vibrated as low moans and rasps echoed from the other side, spurning the blonde woman and her new companion up the staircase. Quickly reaching the second floor, Allyssa inched her way past the blocked entrance way. It was boarded up while several pieces of furniture rested in front, their fabrics torn and marked by a few splotches of blood.

A hungry hand jutted out between two of the planks, its skin a nightmare of shredded muscle and bites. The former news editor on the other side wailed, his body leaning against the sturdy planks as infected eyes watched the two humans ascend to the third floor.

"Most of my co-workers got sick…started turning. I boarded up the doorway with a few others, but they left yesterday. Probably dead by now" Allyssa lightly explained as Wendy followed her with sure steps.

"Will it hold?" the girl asked as they continued to the fourth floor.

Shrugging, the taller woman opened the wooden door to the news offices, waving Wendy inside before closing it shut. The glass was mostly gone from the empty pane, only a few shards sticking out as the blonde moved toward a filing cabinet to the left.

"It has so far, but who knows. Those things are relentless" she commented as she started to push against the cabinet. Watching the older female strain, Wendy lent her own strength as the two pushed the cabinet in front of the doorway. Sealed shut, the women commenced to pile up a few more chairs and other furniture before finally resting.

"So, what's your story?" Allyssa asked as she leaned against the wall, her arms crossed under her breasts as she studied the girl.

"Just trying to survive is all…" Wendy replied as she hefted herself onto a desk in the open office. Looking around, she saw more of the desks lining the walls or facing each other in pairs. The distant wall had a few vending machines, surprisingly not looted as the reporter continued to stare at her.

"Have to give me more than that. After all, its not everyday that I see a girl with blue hair running around with body armor…especially when it looks custom made" she commented as the teenager pulled the gun out of her holster and set it on the desk nearby. The baseball bat had been grabbed, attached to her back somehow as the blonde hoped this girl wasn't some deranged psycho.

"_I can't just spout out I'm from some random reality that uses magic…especially if it doesn't work here. She'd just think I was insane. No…best to keep that to myself for the time being"_ Wendy reasoned as she glanced at her new companion.

"Well…I happen to like the color blue. So, I dyed it one day. As for my armor and weapons, they were a gift from my older sister. Well, not technically my sister. More like…a mentor that looks out for me and gave me a home" she told the blonde softly as she popped the current magazine out. Grabbing the ammunition box from her pouch, she reloaded the partially loaded clip before sliding it back into her pistol.

"I see…is your sister…?" Allyssa trailed off, hoping this girl didn't just become an orphan.

"Nah. Sam's a Sergeant in the military. And a long way away from here. Unfortunately, she probably doesn't know about all this" the girl emphasized with a wave to indicate the dying city outside before settling her gaze on her new ally. "You know…it's not just zombies out there…"

"What do you mean? I've been pretty much holed up here the past few days and the only thing I've seen are those walking corpses" the blonde asked, her interest peaked as she pushed off against the wall and approached the girl. Watching Wendy wipe off some of the…slime from her chest piece, the older woman waited patiently.

"Well…the dogs are fast. Really fast. I was almost killed by a few of them…but I managed to take them out. But before that…I _heard_ something in a burning building…something that wasn't a zombie. And fuck…I just ran. Whatever it was…I did not want to meet it" Wendy finished with a light shudder before pushing herself off the desk.

"Great…that's just fucking perfect…" Allyssa commented as she ran a hand through her unwashed hair. _"First zombies! Now some unknown monsters in burning buildings!"_ she lamented as she moved toward a window. Watching the city burn as dead people crowded around the front doors of her workplace, she turned toward Wendy as the girl approached the vending machines on the left side of the room.

"So, what's your plan? I was hoping for some sort of rescue, but—"

'_**SMASH!'**_

Eyes snapping to the sound of breaking glass, the reporter watched as Wendy broke the glass display of the candy machine. It tinkled as she used her bat to clear away more, the shards falling to the wooden floor as she grabbed a few candy bars. Turning, she tossed one to Allyssa who deftly caught it.

"We both know that nobody is coming here. If part of the city was still uninfected…maybe. But from what I can tell, those things are everywhere" Wendy finished as she took a bite of chocolate. Chewing softly, she went to the second machine holding water, soda, and juice. Raising her bat, she broke open the lock after three heavy swings. Tossing the padlock away, she reached in for some bottles of water. Placing a few in her pouch, she took one over to Allyssa as the woman promptly unscrewed the top and drank.

"I was thinking of the police station. They have a helicopter and if somebody is still alive there…" the reporter informed her companion as Wendy nodded in agreement.

"That was my plan too. But it's pretty far for one person…but with two of us working together, I think we could make it" she indicated before pointing to the older woman's gun. "How much ammo do you have?"

Letting out a sigh after finishing her candy bar and water, Ashcroft pulled her weapon and ejected the magazine in a flourish.

"Six bullets" she relayed after counting. Watching as Wendy pulled that small box of ammo from her side pouch, Allyssa stood silently as the teenager pressed the box in her hand.

"Thirteen left in here…make em' count" the girl instructed as Allyssa promptly reloaded her only magazine. Sliding the remaining six nine millimeter bullets in her left pocket, she stood slightly straighter as Wendy watched her movements.

"No sense in waiting. Come on, let's find a way out of here" She instructed while walking toward the windows facing the alleyway. The hallway to her left was blocked off completely, the wide staircase leading to the fifth floor sealed off by Allyssa as a few of the dead shambled around the floor above. It was not a viable option to escape as several moans echoed from the barricade of furniture and desks. The surprising thing really was the lone woman able to seal it in the first place. But as long as it held during their escape, it really didn't matter. Moving to the closed window, the reporter flipped the latch as Wendy waited nearby. Her eyes watched the furniture barricade as it rattled slightly, but it seemed sturdy.

Being an older building, they window was still able to slide upward as she pushed it up. A breeze wafted in, carrying the fresh sounds of the dead as Allyssa leaned out. Looking down, the garbage strewn alley was now devoid of the undead as her eyes tracked to the right. Spotting the barricade tipped over in the street, only a few stragglers stumbled around. Tracking her vision to the left, the female saw no way down. Feeling a presence next to her, the blonde cocked her head as Wendy pointed straight down toward a garbage dumpster filled to the brim.

"That would work"

"Are you insane? We're four stories up" Allyssa hissed out as a distant scream was suddenly cut off across the desolate city.

"Yeah…but it's not like we can leave through the lobby. Plus, it's survivable…as long as we hit that pile of sweet garbage" Wendy smiled before climbing into the window sill. Not waiting for Allyssa, the fifteen year old took a long pause. _"Can't screw this up…I'm dead if I do" _Wendy told herself as she finally…stepped forward as gravity did the rest. Falling like a brick as wind flapped her hair, the blunette fell into the rotting pile of refuse as the bags broke her fall. Climbing over the side in moments, Wendy picked a few pieces of rotting…something from her hair as she took cover. Peeking around the corner, her eyes scanned the street as a few zombies still staggered around. They hadn't been disturbed yet, but that could easily change.

"Shit! Is she nuts!" Allyssa cried softly before shaking her head. Climbing into the window, she stared down at the alleyway as hints of fear crept up her spine. The barricade to her left rattled and shook, some of the furniture shifting free as a snarling face appeared. A loud snarl emerged from the ragged throat, the former woman eyeing Ashcroft as the blonde closed her eyes and prayed. Pushing off lightly, a startled cry emerged from her throat as she fell the distance. Crashing loudly among the garbage, she cursed as Wendy extended a hand. Grabbing it, Allyssa climbed out as a few hungry moans echoed behind her.

"Come on…they heard us" Wendy urged as they started to move up the alleyway. Feet moving at a hurried pace, both women glanced back as the disturbed dead started to stagger and sway after them. Moving toward the end of the alley strewn with garbage and other forgotten items, both women figured out how all those dead were sealed inside.

Another heavy barricade had been erected, its sturdy steel stretching ten feet high as it sealed off access to the area beyond.

"Dammit!' Allyssa cursed loudly as their pursuers staggered far behind. Yes…they both could fight. But firing off shots would just draw more and waste precious ammunition. Turning back to the barricade, an idea began to form as Wendy tried to push against it. Unfortunately, it didn't budge a single inch as the girl halted, her forehead a light sheen of sweat.

"It's too heavy!" she said loudly as her eyes scanned back with dreadful fear. The zombies were getting closer…almost ten…maybe a dozen as their horrendous wounds seemed to shimmer in the night.

Crouching down, the reporter cupped her hands near the side of the metal partition blocking their path. "I'll boost you!" she cried out as Wendy nodded. It was their only shot as she stepped onto the palm and pushed off the pavement with her other foot. Feeling herself lifted, Wendy gripped the top edge with her hands as her boots strove for purchase. Another boost against her buttocks had the younger woman scrambling to the top as she hefted herself onto the lip. Now straddling the barrier, she extended her hand down as the dead staggered closer. They were only twenty feet away now, splotches of blood coating their ruined clothes as ragged wounds decorated their flesh.

"HERE!" she shouted as Allyssa jumped…and missed.

"DAMMIT!" the blonde shouted in panic as Wendy tried to lay flat on the edge, her hand reaching further as fear clenched her heart. She did not want this woman to die.

"JUMP!" Wendy screamed as her new friend crouched low and sprung upwards. The zombies were only ten feet away, their moans hungry for the woman as their feet shuffled and scuffed.

Her palm gripped Wendy's like a vice as the teenager showed surprising upper body strength. Yanking upwards, Allyssa managed to escape the snarling dead by mere inches as she rested on the barricade. Shuddering under the constant thumping of rotting hands, both women looked down at the snarling faces before glancing at the other side. A car had been forced in front of the metal partition, effectively sealing off the alleyway as both women hopped down onto the roof with a light echo of noise.

"Holy shit that was close…" the older woman commented as her fist clenched, the fear almost palpable as her new friend nodded.

"Too close…" she whispered with agreement before climbing off the car and into the street. She was joined moments later by the other woman, both of them ignoring the rasps coming from the barricade as they studied the roadway they were on.

A few street lights flickered in the night, casting shadows every where as glass and abandoned cars littered the road. A few corpses lay on the pavement, their eyes white as they stared off into space. Unfortunately, neither woman could tell if they were dead…or undead. Nothing seemed to move at all…which was probably a good thing for them both as they continued to take in their surroundings.

The road behind them was a tangle of cars and wrecks. It would've led to the newspaper in normal times, but now it was nothing but a pile of carnage.

"The police station is East of here. But who knows if the path is clear" Allyssa informed the girl as both of them started to move forward slowly. Drawing her gun, the older female kept it gripped tight as Wendy brought out her bat. Specks of blood and gore still covered the end, but it was still quite functional as the two walked past a ransacked cafe.

The glass had broken everywhere, spilling into the roadway as the bodies of a few waiters lay on the bloody tile of the small eatery. Gore and pieces of flesh dotted the interior as both women peered in, trying to see if anything was useful among the turned over tables and booths covered with drying blood.

'_Crunch…slurp…'_

The echoing noise of tearing flesh and sinew rang like an alarm from behind the distant counter, making both women back away slowly as they didn't want to disturb what was happening….or see it.

Taking a few steps past the tiny café massacre, both women slid past two cars that had hit head-on in the middle of the street. Crumpled metal and twisted steel illuminated under the flicking streetlight, creating a small strobe as both females walked cautiously past. A woman in the first car was obviously dead, her throat pierced by a large shard of windshield as her glazed over eyes stared off into nothingness. The other driver had been flung forward, landing on the crumpled hood as his arm's lay at sickly angles. White bone reflected under the streetlamp…until he let out a sorrowful moan.

Its head rose off the metal, leaving a few pieces of skin behind as they slowly peeled off as it turned its dead eyes toward the duo.

"Move!" Wendy hissed out as the monster tried to claw toward them with broken limbs. Backing away, both women started forward, but froze with fear as several of the corpses laying in the street began to shift and stir. Their moans of hunger were insidious, clawing at their instincts to run as both tried to find an escape route.

"There!" the reporter pointed out as the far left side was mostly clear. Running as fast as they could, both females ran between the utility truck and the clothing store on the left as their hearts beat from dread.

Neither of them saw the slumped over corpse of the dead city worker at the tail end of the truck until it sprung forward in a hungry lunge with a snarl.

"AHHH!" Allyssa cried out as the clammy, dead hands gripped her waist. Trying to claw, the monster was bringing its gaping maw to the woman's neck. Barely getting her right arm under its chin as she twisted, the blonde woman was horribly surprised at how strong this creature was. Its teeth snapped, trying to sink its rancid jaws into her cheek as she struggled to keep it away. Necrotic hands re-gripped her shoulders, trying to pull her forward as its putrid breath ran across her nose.

The dead in the street were drawn to the two humans like flies, their cries stirring them onward as Allyssa tried to keep her undead attacker away.

'_**BANG!'**_

The bullet smashed into its cranium, splattering a few specks of blood onto the blonde's face as Wendy stood there with a firm grip on her pistol mere feet away. The spent cartridge had already clattered to the ground as the fifteen year old pivoted on her foot.

"TRY TO FIND AN EXIT!" Wendy shouted as three more of the infected staggered out of the café, the former waiters hungry for flesh.

Spurned from her close call, Allyssa ran forward a few steps, her fearful eyes scanning for a possible exit as Wendy covered her.

One of the zombies was shifting across the roadway, its steps uneven as the former high-schooler staggered forward past an overturned garbage can in the road. It was by far the closest, only ten feet away as the raw wounds and nightmarish gouges across his features easily discernable. Lining up her laser sight, the young woman fired. The gunshot echoed as the zombie staggered in the street. Its head had bobbed at the wrong moment, flinging bits of skin and muscle from the neck as it rasped.

"Dammit…" Wendy scolded as she re-centered her aim on the forehead as more of the zombies gathered and moved toward her. Firing again, the explosion of sound and light snapped through the night as the bullet flew true. Blowing off the top of the head, brain matter splattered against the road as rapid footsteps echoed behind her.

"This way!" Allyssa cried out as she took a stance. Another of the creeping dead had split off, walking between the clothing store and utility truck as hanging intestines swung from the ripped open belly. She wanted to vomit and cry with how wrong it was, but there was no time.

Aiming over the sights, Allyssa silently prayed at how grateful she was her father had taken her target shooting all those years. Squeezing the trigger, her Browning HP ejected the projectile in the blink of an eye as chemicals flashed in the night.

The zombies right eye exploded in a burst of viscera before crumpling to the sidewalk…but three more were heading her way. Turning and grabbing Wendy's hand, the older female practically dragged her friend along the sidewalk as a half dozen of the reanimated corpses drunkenly followed.

Running down the roadway as another pile-up of cars loomed a whole street ahead, the two sprinted like their lives depended on it. Hearts pounding as they moved past darkened storefronts, the two women jumped as two zombies fell through a display window of a wedding dress store with a loud crash.

"Don't stop!" Allyssa cried out as the tinkles of shattered glass crunched beneath their feet. Barely avoiding the out stretched hand of a zombified woman in a dirty maid of honor dress, the blonde female noticed the bloody shoulder of the former human before hurrying her footsteps.

"Oh! Come on!" Wendy cried out as a few more infected staggered out of another shop near the pile-up in their path. They weaved and limped, eyes filled with the deadly virus as one man in a dirty smock tripped and fell in the roadway with a load gasp. Raising her gun as she prepared to fire at the new threat, Wendy felt her arm grabbed.

"No! Through here!" Allyssa cried out as she pointed to another alleyway on their left hand side. It was wedged between two buildings, a chain link fence across the gap as a wired gate was left open.

"Right!" The younger woman agreed in a heartbeat as both ran toward the swinging gate. Rushing through, Allyssa slammed it shut with a rattle as she locked the simple latch. Looking around for anything to reinforce the fence, her eyes settled on a few trash bins.

"Forget it! We have to go!" Wendy shouted as a few more of the dead started to walk toward them from the turn in the alleyway up ahead. One was still clutching a bottle in his hand, his face a mess of ribbons as the three former women with him snarled at the humans. They staggered forward, all intelligence lost as hunger filled them.

But, a hint of luck was with the two as a metal stairway led upwards on their right. It wrapped around the building, the green metal flecked with rust as Ashcroft gave a curt nod. Forgetting about blocking the gate as the barmaid and her undead compatriots hooked their dead fingers through the chain links, the duo of humans started up the staircase. Their boots echoed on the metal, creating a dull sound as hungry rasps filled the passage between buildings.

Reaching the top landing, both of them hurried along the elevated walkway as darkened windows blocked by metal bars swallowed the night. Taking a right turn at the corner seconds later, both of the women suddenly stopped as a five foot gap in the metal walkway made itself known. Some of it twisted downward, but other parts of the walkway still dangled as the section that had collapsed hung vertically toward the ground on the other side.

A florescent light flickered on above them, giving them a horrible view of what lay below. Dozens of hungry mouths stared up at them as hands reached and grasped.

"That's…a lot of zombies" Allyssa commented as she stared down at the horde clogging the passage between buildings. Squinting her eyes, she could see the outlines of a firetruck blocking the exit of the alley…which explained why dozens of the rotting corpses were sealed in this area. Emergency lights strobed in the distance, illuminating the night with blue flashes as her eyes continued to adjust. That was a minor detail however as she looked at the elevated walkway. It extended along the entire length of the alley, elevated above the rotting hands as their howls made the older woman's skin crawl.

"Can you make that jump?" the reporter asked as Wendy scooted closer to the edge to peer down…then across the gap.

"I hope so. I doubt we have time to try and force our way past these bars" She indicated, a feminine hand pointing at all the barred windows along the walkway.

'_**CRASH!'**_

A sound of fencing rang though the air as both women ran back to the turn. Fear hitching up their throats as the chain link fence collapsed under the weight of the dead, the women watched as the first of the walking corpses took a tentative step up the first step…then another…and another as more followed like a relentless wave.

"You first! You have a longer reach than me!" Wendy instructed as her blonde friend nodded. Backing up to the railing, Allyssa could feel the cold of the metal against her backside. Glancing at Wendy as the girl kept her gun trained on the staircase, the reporter took a deep breath.

Running forward as her shoes echoed across the heavy steel, she pushed off the edge at the right moment. Sailing through the air, she ignored the fact she was above nothing as gasps of hunger bayed. Landing heavily on the other side, she gripped the railing before shouting out at the edge.

"I MADE IT! JUMP!" she encouraged as Wendy nodded. Watching as the girl backed up, Allyssa could see the terror in her eyes. One mistake and she would fall into chow town. Running forward in a burst, the girls boots echoed noise through the alleyway as she pumped her legs. Hitting the edge, Wendy leapt off in a sailing arc. It was a perfect jump…but with her shorter legs and stature, the blue haired girl would not stick the landing like Allyssa.

Body hitting the edge of walkway, Wendy gasped as several points of metal dug at her Kevlar body armor. It knocked the wind out of her as her legs dangled downward within easy reach of the dead. Struggling to climb up, she felt something grab her ankle as one of the dead clamped on.

"NO!" Allyssa cried out as she leaned over the girl and grabbed her by the belt. Pulling upward as hard as she could, the reporter strained her muscles as Wendy cried out. The girl was still dangling…half on the walkway and the other half hanging downward as she tried to climb. Her fingers were hooked between the metal gaps, trying to pull herself up as Allyssa lent her own strength.

"GET OFF ME!" the girl shouted in fear, knowing that the corpse would not listen. Trying to shake her foot free, the zombie was relentless in its vice grip as it snarled. Bringing its mouth to the boot, the simple minded creature bit down on the hardened leather of the sole.

Pulling her gun from her holster, Allyssa aimed over the back of the teenage girl as she sighted the barrel. Squeezing the trigger, the reporter really couldn't miss at this range. The bullets trajectory flew past Wendy's body, almost skimming her leg as a few strands of pant fabric was torn. Punching through the upper jaw of the dead man, it instantly released its bite as teeth and bone splintered. Finally free, Ashcroft pulled her partner upward as the girl scrambled for safety.

Collapsing on the steel walkway, Wendy rolled over to her back as her body shuddered. Allyssa was doing the same, her own chest rising as both females took a quick breather.

"Sav…saved me again…"

"No problem…you did the same for me in that last alley" Allyssa replied as her eyes picked up movement. Zombies were coming around the corner, their steps uneven as they walked toward the gap unaware. It happened quickly, the first of the corpses falling through without effort as their bodies simply fell into the snarling horde below.

"They don't even see it…" Allyssa commented as they both scooted backwards on their behinds, wanting to keep distance between themselves as more zombies marched into the broken span.

"Heh…too bad we can't make them walk off a tall building" Wendy joked as she slowly stood up. Leaning against the brick of the building, she inspected the raw teeth marks on her left boot. They were superficial at most…nothing but blemishes as nothing had pierced to her foot.

"That would make it too easy though…zombies killing themselves" Allyssa chuckled before turning and starting to move down the walkway. Feeling Wendy join her moments later, both women simply walked along the entire length of the alley as the dead snarled and grasped upwards at them. There were no other obstacles for them as they moved past a few other buildings…some of them with reanimated dead banging against the barred windows. Yes…they did have to squeeze along the railing one time as grisly hands reached for them from a barricaded room on their right…but it was simple compared to before. In minutes, both women had reached the end of the alleyway blocked by a fire engine. There was barely a gap between the end of the walkway and their destination as the hungry horde followed their movements.

Hopping down onto the roof of the emergency vehicle, Wendy and Allyssa briefly shielded their eyes as the flashes of blue and red danced along the wide road. Both of them crouching low among the ladders of the large truck, both women studied the area now that they had the time.

To their south, two police cruisers were parked along the roadway in a sort of barricade as other civilian vehicles had been moved to block the entire southern avenue. One of the larger thoroughfares of the city, many taller buildings lined both sides of the pavement as red and light strobe lights continued to flash. Past the roadblock, a trio listless infected stumbled about in a wide intersection that was littered with garbage and numerous crashes as their moans reached their ears.

Squinting her eyes in the darkness, Wendy didn't see many of the living dead…in fact, the southern road seemed pretty deserted compared to others she had seen. Shifting her gaze north, both females knew that the route was impassible. Numerous fires danced along the next street, consuming several buildings as their crackling flames raged in the night. It appeared as if a large tanker had burst into flames, spilling fuel into the road as several corpses staggered in and out of the inferno. Fortunately, they were quite a distance away and wouldn't notice the two unless they did something stupid…like run directly at them.

"Looks like we're heading south" Allyssa commented as the entire truck shuddered. Glancing behind her, the horde of undead continued to moan and gasp as they slapped against the siding.

"Yeah…thanks captain obvious" Wendy pipped up with a small grin as she glanced over the side. None of the dead were close by, which meant they could safely climb down.

"Don't be a smart ass young lady" Allyssa scolded in a light tease. It was obvious to both that Wendy was not a refined lady. Climbing down, both women landed in the deserted street as distant howls echoed between the buildings.

Looking along the length of the vehicle, the reporter saw one of the side panels hanging open as splotches of blood decorated the outside. Pushing it open with a light creak of oiled hinges, the blonde smiled as a valuable treasure rested inside. Reaching in, she quickly pulled out the fire axe before hefting it in a tight grip as she smirked.

"Looks good. Can cleave some sku—" Wendy started as the fire truck vibrated once more, the wall of dead on the other side pushing and clawing. Looking down, the girl had her bat in her hands as the first clawed fingers tried to emerge from underneath. Seconds later, a zombified face emerged as it dragged itself forward toward Allyssa and Wendy.

"HHNG!" the reporter cried out as she hefted the axe and brought it down, cleaving the skull of a woman in half as brain matter and bone splattered the surrounding road. Some hit her shoes, but Ashcroft didn't care as another of the dead emerged with a nightmarish groan.

'_**CRUNCH!'**_

Wendy's trusty bat claimed another victim, cracking the cranium as it slowly thrashed under the chassis. Bringing it up again, the girl made sure as the weapon 'whooshed' through the air before creating a spray of gore. An eye popped from the old man, its sickening sound lost among the moans as two more zombies tried to crawl underneath the truck.

They didn't even get a chance to rise as the duo of women finished them off with brutal efficiency. Blood spattered the pavement among distant emergency lights, effectively clogging the access point with corpses as both women started to back up and away.

"Hopefully that holds them long enough" Wendy reasoned as she and her friend turned away and started down the wide road.

"It would be nice" the other agreed as they approached the police barricade. The flashing lights hurt their eyes in the night, leaving after images as they both looked for any dangers. Blood had been splashed against the doors and hoods of the two cruisers while a few rancid pieces of meat covered the concrete. Bullet casings dotted the area…but no police could be seen…dead or otherwise.

"Either they died and wandered off…or managed to flee…can't really blame them for the latter. Nobody could be prepared for a zombie apocalypse" Allyssa observed as she peered into one of the police cars. Sighing as there were no weapons inside, she stood straighter as her partner checked the other car. Seeing a shake of blue hair as the girl found nothing, both women eyed the line of cars across the roadway.

The intersection before them was littered with wrecks and abandoned cars. A minivan had collided with a traffic light pole at the closest corner as sparks rained down on the roof like embers, mixing in with the red and blue emergency lights. A zombified woman was in the front seat, strapped in by a seatbelt as her eyes centered on the two. A snarl escaped her ragged throat, but both of them ignored it as a few other roaming infected walked or stood numbly in the T-intersection. Glancing right, the duo could see the roadway that they had just been on if they peered past the tangle of cars.

"Shit…this whole city is like a nightmare of gridlock" Wendy said softly as she slowly climbed over the vehicle barricade.

"Your telling me. Zombies and panicked drivers are not a good mix" the blonde commented as she swung her legs over the other side, dropping to the pavement in a light hop. Keeping her axe raised, both women had come to the conclusion that melee work could save them if the need arose. Shuffling their feet forward as the left roadway had been obstructed from view, both of them crouched down at the minivan's rear end. The driver still snarled in her seat, but her threat was almost zero as both women looked down the wide road.

It was a cratered mess as the front facades of several buildings had shattered under explosive force. Cars had been crushed under the force of multiple detonations as tons of mortar, steel, and glass had rained down along one of the main roads. The grisly remains of countless infected dotted the ruined street, but none seemed to move. Unfortunately, neither woman could see past the rising smoke in the distance as a horrible rasp approached. Eyes looking to the source, both women shook as a trio of the dead had finally noticed them. Their clothes were dirty and bloody…one of the men barefoot as his feet left torn streaks of muscle behind him.

"Split them up!" Allyssa commanded in a harsh whisper as Wendy sprinted to the right. One of the dead followed the teenager, eager to eat as the other two centered on the reporter. Backtracking on sure footing toward the barricade, she waited for the duo to separate…but neither of them complied. Both former women, one looked to be a secretary of…heavier proportions as her exposed belly shifted among the blue and red flashes. The other had probably been a grandma due to the gray hair decorating the head…well, if you ignored the splotches of dried blood in it.

The grandma was closer, so Allyssa quickly circled around the old woman as she raised the axe in a sideways swing. Pushing her arm muscles, the fire axe dug into the side of the head as bits of bone flew. The overweight female was turning already as Allyssa pulled the weapon free, creating a spray of gore as she grit her teeth. Backing up with a small jump, the blonde barely dodged the grab as her enemy lunged forward with gnarled hands and cracked fingers.

Jabbing the axe toward her zombified face like an impromptu spear, Ashcroft could feel some cartilage break under the force as the bone crunched. Some of the teeth shattered from the weapon, staggering the zombie as the living woman quickly glanced at Wendy….just to watch her wind up a heavy swing. The bat cracked across the mans face, spritzing some coagulated blood and gristle as the jaw loosened.

Returning her attention, Allyssa jabbed again at the woman's face, creating a heavy crunch as more of the nose broke. Pulling away in a flash of movement, she brought the bladed weapon above her head before bringing it down in a deadly arc of motion.

The skull split in half, splintering bone and spreading pink gristle across the pavement as the body slumped to the ground like a rag doll. Breathing at the exertion, the older survivor turned toward Wendy as she cracked the man from behind. Part of his skull caved in, but it wasn't enough as the teenager kicked him in the back of the knee. Spilling to his stomach, the teenager didn't waste another second as she brought her trusty instrument down on his cranium. A heavy crunch reverberated through the night, finishing off that particular zombie as both females looked around for other threats. Finding none, the duo looked at the cratered roadway as distant smoke choked the night.

"That's going to suck. If there's zombies lurking in that smoke, we won't see them until they're right on top of us" the older woman observed as they both started forward.

"Yeah…but the police station is that way…and it could be our only shot out of this damn city" Wendy reasoned before looking back the way they came. _"Plus…not like we can backtrack this path anyway…"_

"I know…let's just try to be quiet" the woman reasoned, but her words rang hollow as the two reached the first crater. A few wiggling corpses lay in the hole, trapped under tons of rubble as both females skirted the edge toward the sidewalk. It was cracked and shattered, some of it dipping downward as they both moved silently forward. Numerous fires soon became apparent as they walked slowly, the smoke curling up into the sky.

But…it looked like a sliver of luck was with them as the breeze picked up, pushing the smoke away as they walked…or climbed over piles of broken concrete. The snarls of undead could be heard around them, but many of them were completely trapped or so damaged from broken limbs that they posed no threat.

It took both women twenty minutes to navigate the broken avenue, and it was without incident or any fights as they looked onward. A footbridge stretched across the wide road above their heads, leading off to their…north? It was hard to stay oriented in the city as so many roads were blocked or impassible. But the span of ribbon of concrete further past the footbridge was a death trap as dozens of the dead littered about. They were drawn to the warblings of a dying ambulance siren, its echoes in the night like sorrow as bloody handprints decorated the siding. They clawed at the overturned vehicle, trying to find the source as their hands tried to grip and grab the metal. A gurney laid nearby, a body bag thrashing as the contents were obviously still undead inside.

Crouching low in silence, both humans knew what direction they had to take as their feet scurried up the stone steps to the walkway. No way in hell would they try to fight all those walking corpses as they reached the top landing of stone and brickwork.

A groan from their immediate left had both women raising weapons in desperation, but faltering as they studied the source. A man was propped up against the wall, his shirt splattered with blood as an empty handgun was clutched in his right hand. Wearing biking leathers, his exposed forearms were covered with tattoos as bandages were wrapped around his left leg. Crimson liquid was soaking through the pant leg, meaning he had taken damage.

Glancing past him as he groaned, both women could see half a dozen dead corpses littering the walkway as moonlight shone through the open air windows of the passage.

"C..ch..christ…never…th…thought…it end li…like this" the man coughed as a few specks of life blood erupted from his throat and landed on his dirty shirt.

"Shhh…don't talk. Save your energy" Wendy whispered as she pressed a hand against his shoulder. Coughing heavily, the man glanced at the fifteen year old.

"I…I'm done. One of them…ba..bastards bit me…onl…only a matter of time…" he whispered as his chest rose and fell. "N…nice hair…" he tried to smile as blood coated his lips before coughing again. It was wet and phlegmy…a sure sign of encroaching death.

"We should leave him. There's nothing we can do and when he turns…" Allyssa voiced out as the man gave a low nod.

"Y…your right…I…I don't…have long…you should...go"

Slowly agreeing, Wendy stood up as she glanced down at the dying man. "Do you want us to give you mercy?" she asked softly, knowing full well what that implied.

"P…please. I…I don't wanna…be…like them" He rasped out while his arm lightly raised to emphasize the city.

"Okay…do you want to say anything?" the blue haired girl asked as she pulled her firearm free. Watching as the man slowly paled from blood loss, his head gave a miniscule nod.

"I'm…Blake…Blake…We..weber…nice..to meet you" he whispered as Wendy slowly placed the barrel of the gun against his forehead. Her hands were shaking, making the gun quiver as she stared down at the dying man. _"I try to save lives…but there's nothing I can do here…Sam would do the exact same thing"_ Wendy reasoned as she took a deep ingulf of air. She had to kill this person…otherwise he would become a threat to them both. But killing an innocent man…it was a difficult thing to do as her chest tightened.

"I'm Wendy…this is Allyssa…nice to meet you too" She replied in a harsh whisper…before squeezing the trigger. The interior of the walkway jumped with light and sound as the bullet destroyed Blake's brain in a brief instant. Eyes hardened with grief at the life she just took, Wendy crouched down and picked up the spent gun. Patting down his pockets, she found no extra ammunition for it before shoving the pistol in a side pocket.

Glancing at her companion, Allyssa really had no idea what to say to the younger woman as Wendy pointed toward the crowd in the street below.

"We should go"

Turning, the reporter knew the younger girl was right. The gunshot had been like a dinner bell as dozens of the undead staggered forward, some already passing underneath the walkway. Turning, both women started to jog across the span as they left Blake's cooling body behind.

Hurrying down the steps, they found themselves in a residential neighborhood as several walk-ups were boarded or sealed. Nothing moved at either end of the street, the only light coming from street lamps as the night air sent a chill against their skin. It looked…almost normal. Like nothing evil had transpired in this city at all. If they didn't know better, this was just a normal neighborhood of homes as family's slept soundly. But…they did know better. This entire road ran completely parallel to that main street, which meant the moans of the dead were never far off. Hell…some of these homes could have some of those rotting corpses just staggering around in the back yards.

Moving in a light jog toward the distant police station that was lit up like a blaring sanctuary, the two passed numerous homes sitting dark and silent. Any car or truck they passed was parked normally in narrow driveways, the fates of the owners unknown.

"Think we could hotwire a car?" Allyssa asked her friend as the moved down the illuminated street. She was trying not to think of that man…and mentally kicked herself for not taking the burden. Kids shouldn't be killing. _"A girl her age should be worried about…boys and school dances. Not mercy killing a man or fleeing from rabid cannibals in the streets" _the reporter reasoned as her lips turned upward in a small grin. _"Still…she seems pretty tough. Just the kind of woman I respect" _

They had just passed a home with a little hatchback, its driver's side door flung open as it sat serenely in the night. No blood or any sign of the dead could be seen as Wendy looked at the car.

"Seems kind of pointless, right? We find a car…then what? Most of the main roads are a tangled nightmare. We'd make it a few streets before having to abandon the thing anyway" the blue haired girl reasoned as Ashcroft could see the point.

'_Rattle..rattle'_

Eyes darting to the sound, both females were brandishing weapons as the bay window of a house shuddered as they passed. Inside, a young boy with half his face torn away snarled against the glass as his infected eyes watched them with hunger. Flaps of skin ran along the glass, leaving crimson streaks as muscle dragged…then two adults appeared at the window, equally as dead. The brunette woman seemed to have had her nose eaten…a few strings of flesh dangling past her mouth as the man next to her had a horrendous bite taken out of his shoulder.

"Let's…let's get out of he—" Allyssa tried to say right as the glass shattered under the weight of bodies. They tumbled like ragdolls, the woman's arm breaking like a sickened twig as she landed horribly against the sidewalk. The child was already climbing to his feet along with the deceased father, their rasps for flesh baying them on as the cries echoed in the night.

Backing up, both women turned to run as more sorrowful cries rang out in the neighborhood. The three zombies had created a cacophony of rasps…almost like they were calling out that food was nearby.

Boots and shoes slapping against the pavement, it seemed like the deserted neighborhood came to undead life as zombies staggered and limped out of hiding places. An older couple had stumbled from behind their house, bites covering their bodies as several zombified children followed them with snarls. Sprinting past the mini horde of the dead, Allyssa and Wendy pumped their legs as they ran with their weapons clenched tight.

More of the dead were emerging, drawn by the rapid footsteps as they slowly gave chase to the fleeing women. The night air was crisp as they continued to run, their passage creating a wake of the infected as they snarled.

"Shit! That's not good!" Allyssa pointed forward as both females looked ahead. The T-intersection was half blocked, preventing any further progress toward the police station. A school bus had crashed against a house at the corner, its hood crumpled as a grown man lay near the side stair well of the yellow transport. Children were eating him…tearing at his skin and muscle as they stuffed their mouths with stringy intestines with sickening slurps and gasps. More adult zombies were hovering around at the back of the bus, their eyes and ears picking up the fleeing girls as they turned and snarled.

Easily numbering two dozen, the zombified children slowly rose as their dulled senses eyed the humans at the far edge of the intersection.

"THIS WAY!" Wendy yelled as she turned south, pulling her compatriot along. There was no way they could fight their way through that many…but more of the dead were in the distance. The side street had been barricaded up ahead, most likely to try to stem the infected from pouring in from that main roadway. They had only made it about halfway up the short span of concrete before they realized they were trapped.

"Shit! What do we do!?" Wendy asked in fear as her eyes darted around. The dead at the barricade were shuffling toward them, one of them a former paramedic as his neck hung at a grisly angle. Glancing back, the horde of undead children and their…adults were doing the same as they cried for flesh. There was no alleyways or ladders to climb…there was nowhere to run as the first of the dead were only twenty feet away.

"THERE!" Allyssa pointed with urgency at the large, wooden gate set into a high stone wall. Closer to the approaching zombies from the barricade than she liked, the blonde ran forward as Wendy sprinted behind her. A corpse grasped for the blunette, but she weaved out of the way at the last moment as she charged forward.

Hitting the gate with force, both women gasped as their shoulders flared from the sturdy oak. But that didn't matter as the doorway had opened, allowing them passage inside. Sliding in, both of them pushed the heavy gate shut as their muscles pulsated and strained. Managing to close it just as the first of the child like infected walked into it, both women pressed their backs against it as they dug their heels. The door tired to buckle inwards, but they held fast as Allyssa's hands fumbled. She had dropped her axe to the grass, but that wasn't an issue as she turned her body and pushed.

"PUSH! PUSH LIKE YOUR HAVING A DAMN BABY!" Wendy yelled out as the door vibrated and shuddered. Her muscles were straining, just trying to keep the dead on the other side as their cries echoed.

"THAT'S A WEIRD THING TO SAY!" Allyssa cried back as she got a hold of the heavy, sliding latch. Sliding it forward with a grunt and strain of her left hand, it barely slid through the large, square hole. Flipping the locking latch to keep it in place, the mechanism held as both women slowly stepped away from the oaken gate.

It shuddered and vibrated again, but it held sturdily as both females took a deep lungful of air.

"Shit…that was like some nightmare twilight bark...but with dead people" the blonde relayed as she slowly picked up her axe. Her chest was still rising and falling along with the other girl, both of them eager for oxygen.

"Your…your telling me…" Wendy agreed as she slowly observed their surroundings. _"HOLY SHIT THAT WAS TERRIFYING! I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE FOR!"_ her mind screamed as sweat covered her brow. Wiping it away as the stars twinkled above, she felt Allyssa stand next to her.

"We made it to the 'Apple Inn' Means we're only a few streets away from the R.P.D." the reporter informed her younger companion as both women stood in the green picnic space that sat behind the hotel. Eyes scanning further, the duo eyed a maintenance door to their immediate west.

"Boiler room. I doubt we'll find anything in there" the older female commented as she pointed to a doorway to their East that was set in the corner. The windows nearby were still lit up along the first floor hallway, meaning that electricity still flowed. "That will lead us inside. Maybe we can rest for a bit in one of the rooms"

Glancing at Wendy who had cocked an eyebrow up at her, she lightly explained. "I wrote a piece on this place when I first started. It's a historic landmark"

"No need to explain. I'm just glad you don't hang out in boiler rooms like some creeper" Wendy quipped as they started to walk across the grass toward the doorway. Trying to drown out the sound of the heavy gate shuddering, Allyssa joked back.

"If I was some creeper, I'd be the sexiest one alive. You know…drop dead gorgeous" she shot back as both girls approached the door with a chuckle. The smell of rot was palpable, making the brief light mood fade as they gulped. If their journey had proved anything, it was that smell usually meant something bad nearby. The wooden door quivered on its hinges as some weight was pressed against it while a stifling moan worked its way through the material.

Shifting her body, Wendy grabbed the doorknob as she pressed herself against the nearby frame. Allyssa had moved to the other side, hefting her fire axe as both women gave a silent nod of understanding. Turning the knob, the fifteen year old yanked the old door open as another of the infected spilled out in a lunge. It had been a worker of the hotel, his uniform still visible even if it was splotched with dried gore.

"YAH!" the blonde cried out in anger as she swung the sharped axe toward the back of the employee's head. It dug deep, severing the spinal cord in one blow as the heavy blade sliced through the tendons and neck with horrible ease. Falling with a light thud, the head dropped to the grass several feet away as the body crumpled.

"Ugh…can't say I've ever decapitated something before" Allyssa rasped out as bits of skin stuck to the blade. But she found herself talking to empty air as Wendy moved into the hallway. Following the girl inside, the reporter closed the open door behind her as approaching snarls echoed through the hallway.

It was a long corridor, wrapping entirely around the courtyard to their left about fifty feet ahead as lights illuminated the walls from elegant fixtures. A door was on their immediate right, but it was shut as two more lined the painted wall further down. Past the last closed doorway, a staircase rose at the turn…just as three zombies stumbled around the corner.

Two had been former employees, probably housekeeping staff by the maid outfits while the third appeared to wear a fine suit. The man's face was…just gone. Nothing but torn muscle and horrendous bite marks that covered his arms among the ruined linens as his eyeless sockets seemed to eye them regardless.

One of the maids snarled, blood dripping from her chin as a few strands of muscle were still being chewed between yellowed teeth. Moving as a single mode of viral progression, all three shambled down the hallway along the carpeting as they blocked access to the stairs beyond.

Dropping her axe as Wendy placed her trusty bat on the back of her magnetized armor, both women pulled their pistols free. There was no room to maneuver past the trio…at least not without risking bites.

"I'll take the man down first! He's the fastest!" Wendy lightly shouted as she took a stance. Adding some pressure to the trigger, the laser light jumped from the attachment of her pistol as it centered on the bobbing and weaving forehead. It was a nightmare of gristle and sinew, and Wendy ended it in one shot.

The casing flew from the ejection port, clattering against the wall as the man's head snapped back in a blowback of red mist. With a silent sigh, he crumped to the carpeting as Allyssa fired at the maid on the left. The bullet struck the female in the throat, ripping apart sinew as the blonde cursed.

"Dammit!"

Re-aiming, the reporter fired again as the two maids staggered closer and closer. The second shot did it, bursting through the bridge of the nose in an explosion of ruined bone and muscle. Shifting her aim, Wendy was already firing again at the last zombie as the hallway illuminated with a gun flash.

The infected spun, the bullet going wide as the girl tried to regain her composure. It had smashed the left shoulder blade, but the dead woman didn't realize it as she regained her footing and continued to walk forward.

Centering on the pale skull covered with scratches, Wendy steadied her breathing. The corrupted soul was only fifteen feet away now as she fired one more time. Blowing away part of the head, brain matter splattered against the antique walls of the hotel as silence reigned among the wafts of gun smoke.

"Let's find something on one of the upper floors. I don't feel safe down here" Allyssa told the other woman as she picked up her axe. _"And maybe find some sort of harness for this thing…"_ she thought idly as Wendy kept her gun trained on the corridor ahead.

"Ditto. Last thing we need is some undead breaking through the window during a nap" she replied over her shoulder as both females made their way past the fallen corpses. They stank…like rancid meat left out far too long. Fortunately, the couldn't hear any other of the infected wandering around as they approached the corner across from the stairs. Sliding up, her blue bangs framed her face as the fifteen year old gave a quick peak.

A door stood at the end of the hall before another turn in the giant 'U' shaped hallway led further into the hotel, but the important thing was that it was clear. Standing up taller, Wendy moved away toward the staircase as her boots padded across the fine carpeting.

"I say we hole up for the night. At least a couple hours anyway. I could use the break" the blonde suggested as Wendy couldn't help but agree as they moved upward.

"Same here…my adrenaline has been crashing and spiking all day. I could use a little nap" she agreed as her eyes never stopped searching for threats. Rounding the corner, she had her gun raised as more stairs led to the second floor. Emerging onto the landing seconds later, both women saw no threats to their bodies or lives as lights hummed softly.

'_Thump!'_

A doorway down the hallway to their right rattled, meaning that at least one of the rooms contained the infected….right as a low growl wafted from the gap beneath the door.

"Next floor" Both said in unison as they moved quickly toward the third floor of the hotel. It took mere seconds to reach the final floor, their eyes darting about…but finding nothing of note or threat. Turning left, both women spotted the open door leading to one of the hotel rooms.

Allyssa led the way in, pushing it open as Wendy followed on her heels. No bodies were inside, dead or otherwise. Moving toward the bathroom as Alyssa locked the door, Wendy checked everywhere for any danger.

"Well?" the blonde called out as she pushed a nightstand against the wooden frame. It was probably older than both of them combined as her blue haired friend re-emerged with half a case of water and…something else.

"No dead people. But…I did find some shotgun shells. Seven to be exact" she smiled before placing them on the nearby table. Unholstering her bat, the teenager stood at the table as she started to inventory. Pulling the heavy magnum out of her pouch along with the bullets and shotgun shells, the girl eyed them before setting the empty pistol she had taken from blake.

Unscrewing one of the water bottles, the girl drank as Allyssa walked up.

"The hell kid? Why didn't you tell me you were a walking armory?" the reporter asked as she ejected her magazine. She needed to reload and now was the perfect time as her compatriot drained the entire bottle of water. Ejecting the partially used magazine, the reporter started to slide in fresh bullets as she eyed the small stash.

"_A magnum with one spare bullet…an empty forty five, twelve shotgun shells…and she still has three full mags at least plus my own. If we can find some more ammo or weapons, we would be doing okay"_

"Wasn't sure if I could trust you at the time. Plus, that magnum should be used for…other things out there. But, if we can find a shotgun, you can have the shells. Doubt my body frame could handle the kickback…dammit"

"Heh…you're like a little scavenger, aren't you?" Allyssa teased as she grabbed a bottle of water and drank, enjoying the soothing liquid as her body craved the life giving fuel.

"Have a flip lighter too. Might be useful at some point" Wendy smiled lightly as she handed out a candy bar to her friend. Waving a hand, the reporter pushed it away as her hunger wasn't much of an issue yet. Heading to the bed after making sure the door was secure, both women sighed as they laid down on the fluffy mattress.

It felt like a slice of heaven to both females as they laid back, enjoying the softness. It really didn't take long for the stress, fear, and exhaustion to catch up with both women as soft snores soon filled the room while the dead continued to wander the streets of the necropolis like a desolate nightmare…

**And there we go! Chapter two! And if anybody can guess, things will be heating up next time…with fire! And I'm thinking Jill will make her appearance in the next chapter…maybe. I haven't decided yet since I'll finish my COG chapter next. All in all, I hope you all enjoy and leave some positive reviews or comments!**

**Wendy: Oh…bed so comfy! I don't want to wake up…**

**Allyssa: Me too…I could sleep for a week already…**

**Nemesis: STARS?**

**Jill: NO! Neither of us are in the story yet!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	3. Hellfire

**Hey everybody! I'm back with more survival horror! Still wishing I had a few more reviews for this story, but it's okay. The ones that actually said something were all positive! **

**Now, I've been seriously contemplating the entire Outbreak cast in this at some points…like Kevin or David…probably Cindy too. Or…at least a few of them. But, it wouldn't happen in this chapter anyway. Nope! This will…well, not gonna spoil it! Just Read, Review and Enjoy!**

**I don't own any media anywhere!**

**Chapter 3: Hellfire**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 1:13 a.m.**

The Apple Inn was almost a scene of serenity in the night, many of its windows still aglow even as a small horde of undead slapped and hammered at the back gate. But their efforts would prove pointless and futile as the heavy barricade would not budge under their weight.

Unfortunately for the two women slumbering on the third floor, something evil had come to roost inside the historic building…and it wasn't the zombies.

Nathan Mueller ran down the second floor hallway, his dirty shoes slapping against the carpeting as he gulped lungful's of air. His right arm was a mess of torn skin and muscle as a river of blood seemed to flow without end as tears streaked his wrinkled face. A man close to sixty years of age with a crown of baldness, he had owned the Apple Inn for almost twenty years of his life…and now it was like this…crawling with monsters. The aging owner had locked himself in his room for days, living off whatever food and water he had…but then he ran out yesterday. Hoping to ransack the kitchen, his plan had immediately failed as he left the room. Some…thing had lunged at him from the ceiling, and it was impossible to describe as it slashed his arm to ribbons.

"_I've got to get to the boiler room! It should be safe there!_" the owner thought to himself as he used his left hand to try and fish the keys out his pants pocket.

"_Hiiissssss…"_

His blood ran cold, the keys dropping from his fingers as the low hiss echoed from behind him. Turning his head, ice crept up his veins as the same monster crawled along the wall.

"Shit! Don't come any closer!" the man yelled before running further down the corridor past several doors, his heart thumping with panic. Spotting the second floor entrance to the boiler room at the end of the hallway, he slammed against it. Unfortunately, the heavy employee door didn't budge an inch.

"NO!" he cried as he frantically turned the knob, trying to force the door. At this state, his mind was so numb with fear that he couldn't even remember he had dropped the keys further back. Banging against the heavy metal again, his right arm throbbed and flared with pain along the nerves.

'_Hiiiissss…'_

Nathan's eyes widened, his throat slick with sweat as he slowly turned his head left to the small alcove at the end of the hall. Resting on the wall as its talons dug into the plaster, the skinless monster extended its tongue as bits of drool dripped down its mouth of razor sharp teeth. Pulling it back inside its body with a snap of motion, the mind numbing horror let out a screech before jumping at the man.

"AAAUGGH!" He screamed out as the monster landed on him, pushing his body to the floor as it reared back its head. Lunging forward, it bit a sizable chunk out of his neck muscle as one of its extended claws raked along his chest, creating ribbons of torn flesh as blood sprayed out from several ruptured vessels.

Head lolling to the side as a puddle of blood grew around him, the man tried scream as the second abomination scurried across the floor toward his dying body.

On the other side of the locked door, the pressure of the boiler furnace continued to climb and climb. Due for repairs the week prior, it had obviously been forgotten in the chaos that engulfed Raccoon City as the man hired for the job had been…eaten by his co-workers. With the maintenance completely forgotten, the much needed repairs never occurred as the pressure continued to build in the gas pipes that ran through many areas of the hotel.

In seconds, the entire machine started to shake and vibrate, telling a tale of imminent doom as seams started to split along the main body of the boiler. At that point…nothing could prevent what happened next.

'_**BBBBOOOOOMMM!'**_

The boiler exploded in a burst of flaming debris as the entire room became a deathtrap. Fire raced along the gas lines like a burning liquid, exploding as it went. In seconds, infernos of flame and heat erupted in multiple areas of the hotel as the entire building shook from the explosion. Luckily for Nathan, he was already dead as the door burst off its hinges and cleaved one of his killers in half as an inferno raged on the other side.

Wendy burst from sleep as she grabbed the gun on the nightstand next to her. The explosion was hard to miss as the few hours of sleep she had acquired was replaced by fear.

"The fuck was that!?" she yelled out as her eyes scanned the room, trying to find any threats.

"I don't know, but it can't be good" Allyssa replied as she swung her legs off the bed, her own pistol clutched in her right hand. Blonde locks hiding her eyes for a moment, she brushed them away as her younger friend quickly gathered up all her extra ammunition and weapons off the nearby dresser. Turning away from the girl, Allyssa started to move toward the door but stopped suddenly.

Orange light was flickering from the gap near the carpeting as tendrils of smoke started to waft into the room. Cautiously steeping forward, the older woman pressed a slender palm against the wooden material. It was warm…bordering on hot as more smoke started to rise. It really didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening on the other side.

"I don't think we can out this way" the blonde stated as she picked up her trusty axe. _"Should I hack down the door? No…who knows how big that fire is on the other side…"_ she quickly reasoned as her eyes scanned for anything useful…but found nothing as the room filled with more smoke by the second.

"No shit" Wendy replied quickly as she moved toward the only window in the room. Thumbing the lock open, the teenager opened it quickly as a light breeze wafted in, pushing the smoke around as she leaned out. Looking down at the street below, she saw it relatively clear of the infected, with only a lone zombie swaying near a newspaper box across the road. A car had crashed into the side of another business across the way, but it really didn't matter. After all…they were on the third floor and a jump from this height…not a good idea. The last thing she needed was to break a leg and get eaten alive. Shaking the horrible thought from her mind, Wendy glanced left and right for any sort of fire escape. There wasn't one in sight as her pupils adjusted to the night once more…and found a sliver of hope.

A ledge ran the length of the building, right below the window as an insane idea came to mind.

"Please don't tell me you plan on jumping again" Allyssa commented as she came close, her own face casted with shadows.

"No, but look. We could move along that if we're careful. It would be slow going, but I think we can do it"

"That's insane. If we fall we're fucked" the blonde argued lightly as she tried to find anyplace that would provide a soft landing site…but there was nothing but concrete below. Another zombie was swaying near several piles of spilt garbage, the contents littering the distant sidewalk while it uttered a low moan several dozen feet down.

'_Thump!'_

The door leading to the flame enshrouded hallway rattled on its hinges, a hungered rasp emanating from the other side…then another. Turning toward the sound, both women knew that could only be one thing as the wooden door vibrated once more.

Coughing lightly as smoke started to crowd against the ceiling, Wendy started to climb out the window. Setting her feet down on the ledge with caution, she realized her body wouldn't fit along the ledge if she kept her bat holstered. Unclamping it from her magnetized plate, Wendy gripped it in her left hand as she pressed her back flat against the wall.

A light breeze slid across her skin, making her flesh rise with goosebumps as she started to slide along the wall…very slowly. Another bang echoed from the door inside the room, making the teenager flinch slightly as her fingers brushed against the brickwork. Closing her eyes, she quickly reopened them as her boots slid and scraped across the narrow ledge.

"Shit…don't look down…" she said to herself as the few zombies in the street finally noticed the human up above. The dead man near the newspaper container rasped, letting out a hungry moan as it staggered forward. It's arms and fingers twitched, trying to reach up toward the girl as it bumped into another abandoned vehicle.

"_CRASH!'_

The door splintered, its weight not nearly enough the stop the constant battering of the deceased hotel guests as they broke in. They were both on fire, flames eating at their charred skin and muscle as the two previous men started staggering toward Allyssa.

"Shit!" the woman cried out as she climbed through the window. Setting her shoes on the narrow band, the blonde gripped her axe in one hand as the dead worked their way around the large bed. Smoke was billowing past her as the flames started to pour in, their heat blasting her back as she started to slide her body along the wall.

A rasp rang through the air to her right as she moved away from the window, a diseased hand reaching for her shoulder as bits of orange flame danced along the crackling flesh. It missed by barely an inch, her distance along the perch miniscule as the two undead tried to reach her.

"You alright!?" Wendy shouted out over the groans of the undead as the window of the next room over burst in a fireball of heat. Glass flew outward, raining down to the street below as the two women slowly moved their feet inch by cautious inch.

"Oh yeah…just peachy!" The blonde replied sarcastically as her chest rose and fell with fear. Despite the coolness of the breeze, her forehead and hands were clammy from the risk she was taking. Looking down into the street, a few more infected had gathered as their numbers rose to five. _"If I fall then I'm dead. Those things will be on me in seconds even if I don't break anything…"_

Gulping heavily, she turned her view away from the tiny group as a distant gunshot ran out through the night air. It sounded like a few people were still alive…somewhere, but she couldn't do anything about that right now as Wendy stopped her movements.

She was at the window without glass, another hotel room if she had to guess as the roar of fire resounded from inside. Leaning her head around the broken frame, all she saw was a room engulfed in flames as smoke and embers floated around. A body was on the floor, the fire eating at the skin as it lay still. A slight shift of the air brought the smell toward her, reminding her of sizzling pork…it made her sick to think about that.

"We can't get through there. Let's keep going" Wendy urged as she slowly moved again, her body pressing against the wall as crows cawed and flew above. They were circling nearby, their motions fluttering as the night black avians fluttered their wings.

A darkened window was up ahead…maybe twenty feet away as both women concentrated on moving safely and silently. Crackling fire was still roaring behind them in the previous room, but the way ahead seemed clear to them both…until one of the crows dived toward Wendy.

"AHH!" She cried out as the bird came close, beating its wings as the talons tried to rake her skin. Raising her right arm, she managed to block its attack as the claws left small scratches across her gauntlet of Kevlar. Finding its assault ineffective, the crow turned back as Wendy sought to control her balance. Her feet had shifted during the bird attack and were far too close to the edge. Inching her foot back, she pressed her back firmly against the brick wall as her growing chest heaved. "Shit! We have to get off this ledge!" the younger woman cried out as a hint of dread cracked her voice. Moving slightly faster, she wanted to close the gap and get inside that next window…no matter what was in there.

"Are they infected too!?" Allyssa shouted loudly in fear as a dozen of the birds continued to circle…until another dove toward her. Craning her head to the right, the diseased animal missed by inches as it cracked its body against the wall in a futile dive bomb. A small crack of broken bones was heard, but the reporter paid it no mind as she continued to slide against the narrow ledge of concrete.

Cawing's of anger reverberated through the air, making the duo shiver at how…off it sounded compared to normal birds as they both closed the distance.

"Yes!" Wendy cried out in relief as she gripped the open window sill of the third room. Practically rolling inside, her boots landed on the carpet as nothing moved…but there was a stench coming from the partially closed bathroom. However, she couldn't worry about that for now as she leaned back out of the window, her hand extended.

"Hurry!" she urged Allyssa as a trio of crows started to dive toward the blonde.

Fingers clasping, Ashcroft made one final lunge as Wendy pulled her toward the window. Gripping the edge of wood, she flung herself in without a modicum of grace as her partner slammed the window shut. One of the infected crows hit the glass with a low thud, but it didn't break as the other two flew off to rejoin their brothers in the velvet blackness of night.

"Dammit…I can't believe there's zombie birds now too…" Allyssa groaned in annoyance as she picked herself up…then wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Something…or someone died in here" she observed as Wendy nodded.

"Yeah…in the bathroom" the girl replied as both women started to walk forward in caution. The light was on, pushing shafts into the room as sounds from inside reached them both. Raising her pistol, the fifteen year old's boot's were silent along the carpeting as her friend raised her axe.

Allyssa prodded the door open with her weapon, the hinges squeaking lightly as low rasping and grunts grew audibly louder. Wendy moved in first, her firearm gripped tight as Allyssa moved in behind her. Their shoes were standing in a large pool of blood, its rancid smell rising to their nostrils as the sticky substance stuck to the bottom of their soles.

Wendy's face paled along with Allyssa's. Both of them grimaced as bile threatened to rise up their throats as more flesh was torn and gulped down by the man near the toilet. Or…half the man. Its clothes were covered with splotches of gore and dried blood…until they got to the waistline. There…it was nothing but gore strewn entrails that dragged across the nightmarish floor. But…the really horrible thing for the two women was that fact it was eating its own legs.

Grunting as it tore another sinew of muscle and skin away through the fabric, it grunted as the monster finally noticed the two women standing there. Letting out a rasp of hunger, it started to shift and crawl toward the two.

The fingers scrapping against Wendy's boot finally brought her out of the stupor as the infected corpse reached closer.

"GAH!" she yelled out in horror and disgust as she brought up her boot and brought it down against the back of the skull. It cracked, but not enough as it continued to flair its arms.

"Move!" Allyssa shouted out as Wendy stepped back, her form hitting the door while the other raised her melee weapon. Bringing it down in a wide arc, it cleaved through the zombie's head as bits of brain and bone flecks sprayed against the floor.

"Jesus…jesus fucking Christ. It was eating itself..." Wendy whispered as she lowered the weapon, her mind seared with the sight as her partner pulled the axe free from the gore. Gulping heavily, the blonde tried to control her breathing despite the smell in the small room.

"You alright?" she asked shakily as the blue haired girl simply nodded with wide eyes. It was one thing to see zombies walking around or eating some random corpse…but this…was even worse…somehow.

"_And dead people walking around is normal now?_"

Shaking her head, the older female started to look around the bathroom for…anything really. Glancing to the sink, she saw a bottle of first aid spray sitting near the faucet. Nodding to herself, that would be something to take wi—

"There's something around his… waist" Wendy said slowly, interrupting her musings as she turned her attention to the grisly mess that was once a person. Crouching down, Allyssa reached a tentative hand toward the item. Grabbing part of the belt, she pulled it toward her as bits of intestine and other ruined organs fell to the floor. Trying to…not concentrate on that aspect of her retrieval, the blonde stared at her find.

It was a carrying pouch used by police…and something shifted inside. Opening the small latch as her fingers became bloody from the leftover residue, both women looked inside with curiosity.

Seven loose bullets were inside, rolling around as a blue jewel rested in the corner near the ammunition.

"The hell?" Wendy asked as she reached inside and pulled the jewel out. The blue facets glittered in the light as her friend studied it.

"I think…I'm sorry? Can we please not stand in the middle of dead zombie guts please?" Allyssa asked as she grabbed the first aid spray from the counter. The smell was horrible and she really couldn't stand it anymore.

Consenting, both females quickly left the gore strewn bathroom behind as they closed the door. The main room was darker, but it really didn't bother them as Allyssa sighed along with Wendy.

"Better. Now as I was saying. I'm pretty sure that jewel belongs to sun dial near the city hall by my office. But some thieves stole two of them a day before all this crap started"

"Are they valuable?" Wendy asked as she handed the jewel back to Allyssa.

"No. They're just hardened glass and look pretty. The only value they have is acting like a key to that gate by the sundial" the reporter finished as she brought one of the found bullets out of the container. Squinting her eyes in the darkness, she realized the futility. Quickly moving back to the bathroom, she pushed the door open once more as light flowed among the rancid smell. Studying the item once more, a small smile grew on her face as she read the caliber on the brass.

"Forty five rounds. Gimme that empty gun"

Letting out a sigh, Wendy pulled out the empty firearm and passed it over as her friend started to reload. It was a quick process that ended in a few minutes. Allyssa kept it for herself, sticking the spare pistol in her new side pouch that was still covered blood.

"Ready?" Wendy asked as she moved toward the door, her pistol gripped tightly.

"Yeah" the woman replied simply as the women soon pushed the door open with a turn of the knob.

The hallway was filled with smoke, its billowing ashes filling the air as both women moved out. Pointing their weapons toward either end of the hallway, nothing moved except the raging fire down the hall to the left. It was eating at the walls and carpeting, covering the entirety of the doorway to their old room. But it looked like it hadn't reached the stairwell yet. To their right was more of the hallway of the hotel, many of the doors closed and presumably locked. At the far end was another bend, presumably completing the U shape of the building as a lone door sat at the turn.

"We should get downstairs before we get cut off" the blonde suggested as the flames continued to dance and jump further down the hall.

Nodding slowly, Wendy lowered her pistol as she turned and started after Allyssa. While it would've been nice to explore every room for supplies, the fire was continuously spreading and they couldn't waste time searching.

As they approached, the heat of the flames blasted against their faces while the skin heated. Smoke was still rising, but several open or broken windows facing the courtyard siphoned some off. Ashes and embers danced in the air, sparking against their clothes but rapidly dying.

Arriving at the stairwell, Allyssa led the way as she took the first step. Flames danced against the wall to her right, heating her body as she took steps further down. Coming to the landing between the floor's moments later, she rapidly turned the corner with her fire axe raised.

'_Hiiisssss…'_

Her body froze in fear as the inferno crackled around her. Sweat dripped down her nose, most likely caused by the absolute terror she felt. Gripping the handle of her weapon tighter, she found herself unable to move an inch.

It was a skinless monster hanging on the wall, its deadly claws digging into the painted plaster as it let out another hiss. The sound crawled up her body as it stayed still, the long tongue wavering in the air. She gulped, eyeing the exposed wrinkle of the brain as time seemed to slow to nothing. The face turned to face her as a mouthful of razor like teeth dripped with saliva. And the eyes…there were no eyes. Not even sockets where they used to be. It was waving the long tongue around the stairwell, its pink length waving back and forth as fire continued to climb the walls around her.

It was simply terrifying…and Allyssa couldn't handle it as Wendy started down the stairs. The presence of her out of the corner of her eyes finally broke the spell.

"WENDY! RUN!" Allyssa screamed out as she turned and started to run back up the stairs.

'_**SCRRREEECH!'**_

The skinless wall climber let out a horrible sound as it jumped, the deadly knives of bone hissing through the heated air as it missed the blonde by inches.

Heart beating in her throat, Allyssa didn't dare to look back as she practically pushed the younger woman backward.

"Oohh…FUCK!" Wendy uttered, her eyes settling on the monster as embers of ash danced in the hall around her. Turning as Allyssa joined her, both women had the same thing on their minds…to flee. Shoes and boots padding along the singeing carpeting, the two females started to sprint down the hall.

Rapid clicking was coming from behind them, and they both knew the answer to the cause. Craning her head, the reporter wanted to piss herself as the…whatever the hell it was rounded the corner of the stairwell to the hallway. It let out another hiss, its long tongue licking the air before it started to claw its way along the floor after them.

"That door up ahead!" Wendy shouted as her legs pumped along the hallway, its length seeming like an eternity. Passing the room they had previously exited a few brief minutes before, they both knew it was a dead end. Chests heaving in more panic than fatigue, the two women finally closed the distance as the horror behind them gave chase.

Gripping the doorknob, Wendy tried to open it, but the lock was secure…then she heard the rasp and groan close by. Eyes darting upward, she watched as two more zombies staggered down the hallway from only ten feet away. They were relatively undamaged…considering they were dead as only a few bites could be seen on their arms.

"No…not now dammit!" Wendy shouted as she raised her gun. The laser dot centered on the closest head, its movement a tremble as the clicking of the…licker grew closer.

"TRY TO COVER ME DAMMIT!" Allyssa shouted out in a panic as she raised her axe. Swinging it down as Wendy fired nearby, she barely registered the fact the teenager managed to kill the first in one shot. Knowing she had nowhere near enough time to chop down the whole door, the reporter went for the next best thing. The doorknob bent at a horrible angle as a few sparks flew. Some splinters of wood flew from the frame, an indication of heavy damage as she raised a leg and kicked.

It worked. The door flew open, bringing a hope of salvation. Turning, she grabbed the younger woman's hand as the second undead was only a few feet away. Pulling her forward, Allyssa saw the nightmare pause in its motions before the muscles on its back legs coiled. Rippling with horrible strength as the claws dug into the woodwork, it leapt into the air with a horrible shriek. Its right arm was coiled back, ready to strike as the two women ran into the unknown room.

Slamming the door shut, Allyssa felt her fear climb higher as a few of the six inch claws dug and splintered part of the wooden door mere inches from her face. Two of them even made it through as the weight bucked the wooden material. Then, of course. The zombie started to batter against it as the older woman tried to keep her weight distributed.

"Wendy! I could use your help!" she screamed out to the girl who had her gun raised.

"Can't do that right now!' she shot back, her pistol aiming toward the right of the L-shaped room. She was already standing at the foot of the bed, looking down the short hallway. A few of the lights flickered above, their bulbs buzzing as a small fire danced along the wall near the unseen part of the room. But the rasp of undead throats from that area had Allyssa almost scream in anger once more. The first one staggered into view, its stomach a mess of torn intestines as the former businesswoman grasped the air.

'_Bang!'_

The gunshot echoed off the walls in illumination as the spent casing thudded against the carpeting. Head snapping back as the projectile shattered part of the cranium, the infected female tried to regain her bearings as a second one came forward. It had been…a mailman? It was hard to tell with all the blood splattered against the uniform and strips of flesh missing from the legs and face.

The door thudded again, the moan from the other side making her skin crawl as the skinless creature let out another shriek of ear splitting sound.

"Damn…Damn…Damn! Allyssa cursed as she braced herself against the door with all her might.

Lining up again, Wendy tired to calm her breathing and spiking adrenaline. That thing in the hall was horrible and now they were trapped in a room with more undead. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger once more as the pistol jumped in her hands from the recoil. This time, the zombie woman died as the bullet tore through her brain in a split second. Collapsing to the floor, she shifted her aim in a heartbeat as the second bore down on her. Only ten feet away, she squeezed the trigger as the red dot hovered over the empty socket as the eye couldn't be found. Blood and bits of bone flew away from the clean shot, giving the teenager a bit of breathing room as no more zombies were left.

Running across the room in mere moments, she was about to start moving furniture when both women heard a loud 'thump' coming from the other side…almost like a body slumping against the door. After that…there was nothing except the small sounds of…chewing.

"Did…did it forget about us?" Allyssa whispered as Wendy eyed the door with fear and suspicion. There was no way to lock it now…and that thing could try and still get in.

"I don't know…but why go after the zombie out there?" the girl whispered back as both women slowly stepped away from the door. The jamb was cracked and splintered now, the weight of the dead body on the other side slowly pushing it open with a low creak. Coagulated blood dripped and flowed onto the carpeting in the room from the infected as the…licker delved into the chest cavity with a frenzy. The head had been…removed, the sinew of muscle illuminated in the light of the hallway as the abomination continued to chew and eat at the necrotic flesh.

Moving backwards through the room and past the dead bodies, both females kept their weapons trained on the open doorframe as they stepped into the small alcove of the room. Their senses were screaming to run as their stomachs churned from the sight in the now visible hallway.

"…it lost sight of us?" Allyssa suggested with a low whisper as her hands shook and quivered. A strand of intestine was pulled out of the body, its destination the maw of teeth as the licker continued to eat.

"But how…I only caught a light glimpse, but it had no eyes"

"I…it…it actually didn't do anything till I shouted at you to run. Maybe it follows sound?" The blonde suggested as Wendy gave a slow nod. At the sound of their quiet words, the creature snapped its eyeless head up as its tongue wavered through the air like a scythe. Staying still at the corner, both women froze as the monster soon went back to eating.

"_I know Sam and Grey fought these things all that time ago in that different version of Raccoon City…but everything is different here. All I know is that they are deadly and can climb walls and ceilings…shit. This is a fucking nightmare"_

"You could be right" the girl agreed in an almost silent tone as she looked toward the door set in the wall behind them on the right. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves some more, she cocked her head in indication. Nodding to her friend, both women slowly approached and pushed it open as silently as possible.

It was another bathroom…just much more luxurious and without a dead body inside. But…a hole in the wall past the bathtub could lead them out of here. There were shards of broken tile and other materials around…along with a few specks of blood near the opening. But that was of no concern to Allyssa as she smiled. The previous fear was pushed to the background as she looked inside the empty bathtub.

Stooping down, she picked up the shotgun after setting the fire axe next to the toilet. It looked to be in good condition as she started to inspect it with scrutiny. There was a pistol grip for the stock as she worked the slide forward with a low 'clack' revealing an unused shell. Pumping it a few more times, the shells fell to the floor as they ejected in a soft arc. There was three total as Allyssa retrieved them, sliding them back in the chamber with ease.

"Come on…hand them over" she said with a light tease as she turned to Wendy, her hand extended. But it faded in a flash as a long, disgusting tongue shot through the hole in the wall and wrapped itself around the girl's ankle.

"AHhh!" the blunette screamed out as she was pulled to the ground. The tightness around her limb was almost crushing as she was dragged through the hole toward another licker in seconds. It happened so fast. One minute she was standing and the next she was pulled through as Allyssa screamed after her.

Fear and adrenaline climbed up through her throat as her body was dragged across the carpeting before the beast let go of her leg. Its skin was only a few splotches of pink on its torso and arms, the rest exposed muscle as it's clawed along the floor.

Raising its head, the nightmare prepared to take a bite out of her neck as rivers of drool dripped down and hit her body armor. It stank…like an open sewer. The maw of razor sharp teeth moved down and the girl could only do one thing if she wanted to stave off death. Locking her left arm, she pressed her hand against the exposed muscle of the throat as its strength started to push her hand back. The deadly claws were digging into the carpet next to her head, the creature gripping the floor as it's tongue started to extend with a nightmarish hiss.

"HOLD ON WENDY! I'M COMING!" Allyssa shouted out as she lay on her belly at the hole in the wall. Pointing her pistol, she tried to steady her aim on the exposed brain.

"HURRY UP! I CAN'T KEEP THIS UP!" the girl cried as the long tongue crept closer and closer. It dragged across her cheek, leaving a trail of rancid saliva as the licker tried to reach the flesh.

'_Bang!'_

Allyssa's gun barked, the brief explosion of gunpowder lighting up the area as the slug tore a small piece from the licker's brain in a spray of blood. It screeched in…more of annoyance than pain as it quickly refocused on Wendy in its clutches.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" the girl uttered as the horror above her snapped its jaws. The right hand of claws scrapped against her Kevlar armor, leaving light furrows as the left arm started to raise for a heavy strike.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES!" Allyssa shouted as the woman had crawled through. Taking a stance with her new shotgun, the blonde female simply walked up and shoved the barrel into the maw of teeth as the disgusting tongue snapped by and tried to attack the reporter.

'_BOOM!'_

It was an explosion of steel balls at point blank range that turned its head into a recreation of a crushed watermelon. Flesh and brain matter splattered the walls across the room, some of it sticking to the fancy wallpaper as the licker died. Some had splashed against Wendy's armor, painting a horrid Picasso of death. Body collapsing, it fell on top of Wendy as the girl just breathed in lungfuls of sacred air.

"Fu..fuck…" she stuttered as the closeness of death faded away.

"Are you alright?" Allyssa asked as she extended a hand to her comrade. Her face was a mixture of fear and worry…and honestly, who could blame her? Gripping the clammy hand of Wendy, she pulled the girl from underneath the licker and helped her to her feet. Bending over, the teenager just took deep gulps of air as her body shook.

'_FUCK! Jesus fucking Christ!"_ her mind screamed as she slowly stood up, her chest heaving as the panic slowly ebbed away.

"Th…thanks Allyssa…I…" Wendy barely managed to say as the older woman set a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Just…take a minute. Most people probably would've shit themselves in that situation" she stated as her eyes slowly started to look around the room…which wasn't a room at all. It was another stairwell…except. This one was decorated in plush, red carpeting and elegant wall fixtures. A railing of carved wooden dowels ran nearby on her left before the bannister led downstairs. A heavy, oaken door of intricate designs was on her right which presumably led back to the main hallway with that other licker still eating.

Taking a few cautionary steps to the railing, she peered over the edge to look down. The second floor landing looked clear of any threats…but the way to the first floor was nothing but a raging inferno. Fire crackled and jumped along the walls, preventing any way through to the first floor.

Hearing a strangled sigh coming from her traveling partner, Allyssa glanced over to Wendy as she regained her composure. _"That girl is tough…no doubt about that. Most women her age would've ran away screaming…but she just keeps barreling through"_

"Okay…yeah…that fucking sucked" Wendy uttered before opening her hip pouch. Digging in a feminine hand, she tried to not look at the headless monster mere feet away. Handing over the shotgun shells, Allyssa started to reload before storing the rest for later in her own hip pouch.

"Where's your axe?" the teenager asked a few moments later as her hands gripped the railing, her knuckles a horrid white as fire danced and sent up streams of smoke.

"Left it in the bathroom. I don't really have a way to carry a shotgun and that at the same time" the blonde reasoned.

Nodding slowly, Wendy pulled her pistol from her holster as she kept it pointed to the floor. Moving to the staircase, her first foot padded against the lush carpeting as she kept her guard up. Allyssa moved behind her, the shotgun cradled to her chest as both females started to move slowly down the staircase toward the second floor.

They were silent, the only sounds around them were their quick breaths as smoke rose past them toward the ceiling above…and of course the rampant fire on the first floor. Looking down once more as the embers and heat warmed her face, Allyssa scowled as they came to the second floor landing.

"I'm gonna guess that leads to the main lobby and exit. Of course…you know…fire" she complained to let off a modicum of stress…not that it mattered.

"Your probably right. Based on where we are, I'm guessing the lobby would probably be right through that first floor door. But with our shit luck, we'll have to find a way around" the girl said in a low tone as she eyed the way forward before them.

It was closed, but the scary thing was the splashes of blood against the oak…and it looked pretty fresh. Gulping slowly, she knew anything could be on the other side as she gripped the knob with her left hand. Giving an understanding nod to Allyssa as she covered the way forward with her shotgun, Wendy pulled the door open.

Both females spilled through, their weapons raised for threats as they scanned for movement. Standing close to the corner of the hallway, Allyssa was pointing to the right as Wendy was doing the same to their left. A door set near the corner of the hallway on her right was made of metal, a placard reading 'Security' as a few more speckles of blood covered the metal frame. It looked sturdy…and could possible have supplies Allyssa thought as she shifted her body forward.

A pipe had burst further down the hall as fire encroached and burned, blasting heat everywhere as a lone zombie stood in the blaze twenty feet away. Its flesh was cooking and sizzling, the smell hitting their senses like a freight train as it stood there and cooked. A crackled groan escaped its lips, the opening of the door enough to draw its attention as it slowly turned toward both women. Staggering forward on a broken ankle, fire danced up its blackened skin and muscle. Most of the clothes were gone of the previous man as the flames danced up and down its torso.

Raising her pistol as it shambled closer, Wendy briefly thought of using her bat…but decided against it. The last thing she needed right now was her hair catching on fire because of a walking corpse. Plus…she really…_really_ didn't want to be any closer to that walking horror show. Centering the laser dot on its forehead, she tried to steady herself.

The head bobbed to the left as she pulled the trigger, causing the bullet to smash through the teeth around the lipless mouth. It rasped out in hunger, the footsteps still uneven as a startled shriek of noise emanated from the hallway near Allyssa.

"Crap! We might have another of those things!" the blonde yelled out in fear as she ran toward the corner. Looking down the southern passage, her face turned to a mixture of a scowl and fear.

Her guess was right.

Climbing along the walls of the hotel was another of those licker monsters, its red muscle illuminated from a flickering of fire at the end of the hallway. Passing past a jumble of key rings on the floor, it continued along its journey.

'_Bang!'_

Wendy fired off another round from her pistol, this time hitting the flaming zombie in the middle of the forehead before its skull could swivel oddly. It collapsed to the flooring like a pile of rags, the flesh and skin still burning as she turned to Allyssa.

Gripping the shotgun with both hands, her hands were slick and wrought with fear as the licker drew closer and closer. The claw marks on the wall were almost sinister in the light as her nerves just screamed…screamed at her to run and hide. But she couldn't. Not if she wanted to escape this nightmare.

The monster stopped along the wall a few feet away, its long tongue waving through the air as it let out a hiss like escaping gas.

"_It…can't hear us right now since we aren't moving. But it's too close. Any sort of motion could set it off"_

Sweat dripped down her forehead, creating small rivers of spent liquid as she slowly raised the shotgun at the nightmare less than six feet away. It had stopped near the security door, its exposed brain of pink muscle tracking back and forth as the reporter aimed.

A quick pull of the trigger sent a cone of hundreds of shot balls speeding through the air in the blink of an eye.

The licker screeched and howled in pain, its body falling to the floor as the steel shot embedded itself in the exposed brain. Flailing around on its back, Allyssa cocked another shell as the empty casing flew through the air.

Righting itself in a flash of movement, the abomination hunched back on its hind legs as it snapped its tongue forward. The lance of flesh pierced the air between both women, sailing past their bodies by inches as the exposed brain bled fresh crimson.

Allyssa fired again, the shotgun bucking her arms as the second blast of shot shredded the lickers brain and upper torso. Matter painted the wall behind it, the chunks disgusting in their own right as the monster gave a final spasm before dying.

Nothing moved or shifted expect the burning fires at different ends of the hotel.

"So…two shotgun blasts from medium range…good to know" Wendy muttered as her friend grabbed two fresh shells and reloaded. Keeping an eye out as the girl tried the security door, she wasn't surprised to find it locked as Wendy looked back.

"Doubt you can fire axe this one" she joked lightly before spotting the jumble of keys on the floor.

"I wonder…" she whispered while walking forward. Wendy quickly picked them up, eyeing the plain keys as Allyssa covered her. Still, nothing moved in the area as more smoke started to gather at the ceiling. Coughing lightly, the reporter could feel the sting of her eyes as Wendy walked back.

"The fire's getting worse…" she observed, letting off another cough as Wendy did the same. Grabbing the first key, the blunette shoved it in the security door lock. It didn't turn at all. Trying the next, it was the same result as the key refused to budge.

"You know none of those might wo—"

The fifth key clicked into place, unlocking the metal door with a tumbling of mechanisms. Wendy turned back, a look of smugness on her lips as Allyssa just shook her head.

"Lucky bitch" she teased as Wendy pushed the handle downward.

"Your just jealous because I found the key" she replied as the smell hit her senses. Gagging out loud, the fifteen year old immediately found the cause in the security room.

A dead security officer was in the corner, a ragged wound on his neck…along with a self inflicted gunshot wound at the temple. A pistol was still gripped in his hand, the slide cocked back as it lay empty.

"Well…at least we don't have to deal with another zombie" the reporter said with a shrug as both females fully entered the room. Closing the door behind them to try and block off the smoke, they just…dealt with the rancid smell as best they could.

The room was a rectangle in shape while a few florescent lights flickered above, making the two uneasy as plunging darkness would strobe on and off around them. To their right, a monitor station stood silent as sprays of dried blood covered the darkened screens. A few spilt cups of coffee still dripped their contents while an uneaten sandwich sat on a plate nearby. Some of the ichor had covered one of the swivel chairs, its arc wide as the trail covered the floor to the now dead guard in the corner.

Near the rotting corpse in the left corner, a shelf of confiscated items stood silent as Wendy walked forward, the light still flickering on and off. Eyes tracking along the shelf, she really didn't see much that could be useful.

"God damn…just drugs to fuck yourself up and porn magazines. Nothing we ne—hello…what's this?" She asked herself as Allyssa walked toward another corner of the room.

"I have a weapons locker over here" the blonde informed as she glanced at the sealed security safe. A bloody handprint was on the gray metal, shimmering in the flickering light as she tried the handle.

"Keys" Allyssa commanded with an extended hand.

Tossing the keys from earlier toward her fellow female, Wendy was distracted as she grabbed the roll of firecrackers. _"Probably some punk kids…but useful if those monsters just hunt by sound"_

Stuffing them in her pocket, the teenager turned around to search more of the room as Allyssa tried each key in sequence.

"Dammit…there's like a million fucking keys on this thing!" she cursed loudly. Chuckling at her friend's frustration, Wendy turned away once more as her vision settled on a new glimmer of hope. Set in the corner right past the monitor station, a closed emergency hatch was just waiting to be opened in the floor. Boots clicking across the tiled linoleum, Wendy made out the small sign as the florescent lights snapped off then back on moments later.

'**Emergency Fire Escape to the Lobby'**

An arrow pointed down, its yellow and red outline painted against the wall as Allyssa cried out.

"Yes! Finally!"

Grabbing the handle as the keys clinked and rattled, the reporter flung open the small safe door to portray its contents. Wendy had moved over, wanting to see what they found as the lights flickered again.

There wasn't much.

By all appearances, the staff had probably raided the gun safe in the early days…but there was still something for the girls to find.

Grinning from ear to ear, Allyssa plucked the magazine from the small shelf. It was still fully loaded…and a match for her thirteen round pistol. Cramming it in her pocket, she scrutinized further. A half empty box of shotgun shells had been left tipped over, the five shells spilt everywhere. A single flashbang grenade stood tall, the blue coating beckoning as another box of ammunition rested on the shelf. They were .45 bullets…five of them.

It didn't take long for the blonde to clear out the weapons locker, her new finds weighing down the hip pouch.

"Come on. Let's get the fuck outta here. This place is rancid" Wendy said as she moved toward the emergency hatch in the floor.

"Don't have to tell me twice"

Gripping the handle, the blunette yanked the hatch upward as a billow of smoke rose through. Coughing heavily from the inhalation, the noxious fumes made her eyes water.

"F..fig…ure's" She wheezed out before holding her breath. Grabbing the first rung, she quickly descended into the lobby as Allyssa started to follow. Setting her first foot down onto the red and plush carpeting, the girl found herself on a second floor reading area of the lobby…but that didn't matter as fear climbed into her throat once more. Allyssa was soon next to her, the blue eyes wide in a horrified stupor.

Fire was everywhere as billowing smoke rose with the spent embers of ash. The mahogany lobby desk was fully engulfed in roaring flames as the heat crackled and snapped around them. To their left on the first floor was the doorway leading to the rest of the hotel. Even if it wasn't barricaded by furniture and other forgotten items, it would've been no use as the inferno roared in the corner. The walls nearby were roaring with the orange fire, its form rippling and growing.

Slowing looking to their left as dread and fear almost radiated off the two, the women found a staircase leading down to the tiled lobby and short hallway that presumably led to the exit. Part of the staircase was on fire, the jumping flames spitting ember into the air. But…it wasn't the roaring inferno around them that instilled such fear.

It was the lickers.

Five of them were hugging the walls or guarding the tiled floor near the burning desk, their sinister rasps mixing in with the crackling of burning wood and material. It was a literal nest of monsters…and they had stumbled into it.

Wendy glanced back up to the emergency hatch in the ceiling…and froze. Another of the lickers was hanging up there, its tongue wavering through the air like a scythe before it climbed through, disappearing from sight.

Feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, Wendy looked to Allyssa as the blonde gripped the shotgun. She was pressing a slender finger to her lips, indicating silence. Moving with caution toward the steps, Allyssa's face was blasted with heat as the staircase fire roared. Looking down, there was a gap on her left where they could get through…and one of the lickers right at the bottom.

Ashes and smoke billowed past Wendy, trying to make her cough…but she didn't dare as she studied the licker as it slowly clicked and moved around the tile below.

"We need to distract them" she whispered, her words almost lost among the popping and crackling of fire nearby as sweat poured down her cheeks. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled the firecrackers and lighter out as Allyssa watched in silence.

"_Once those go off…we need to fucking run. If we get slowed down, we become monster food" _

Wendy lit the string of firecrackers and threw them with all her might toward the far corner of the lobby with the burning desk. Her right shoulder throbbed from the close call with the licker before, most likely some bruising as she reached into her pouch with rapidity. The lighter would have uses later, but that wasn't important as she grabbed the magnum.

"_I know this will have serious kickback…but I doubt pistol rounds would do much to one of these things"_

The firecrackers landed on the tile near a licker, its fuse hissing as the strand was quickly consumed.

'_**POP! POP! POPOPOPOPOP!'**_

The firecrackers went off, drawing the licker guarding the stairs away with a screech of anger as it scurried and scuttled across the floor. The majority had been drawn as well, their claws hissing through the air as one tried to attack the noise. One struck the other, drawing blood as the two abominations started to slash and fight among the roaring flames nearby.

But the two women didn't care about that. They were already running down the stairs, their shoes padding against the carpeting as they gripped their weapons. Hitting the lobby floor, their bodies were hit with more heat as the flames encroached. Moving to the right, both women felt the ash and smoke wash over their hair as the exit came into view. Their salvation was only twenty feet away down a decorated hallway as a few tendrils of fire burned against the walls.

A pair of double doors, made mostly of sectioned glass with wood separators led outside…while a lone zombie pressed itself on the glass. And ironically, the women didn't care about it as a lone undead was nothing compared to the threat behind them.

'_**CRASH!'**_

A ceiling grate fell down, its metal ringing like a dinner bell for the lickers around the lobby as…something deformed dropped down to hang upside down in their path.

The skin was red and splotchy…and it seemed…to have a been a man at one point. That is, until it tried to spear Allyssa with its licker tongue.

"FUCK! She screamed as she dodged to the side with a quick step. Quickly aiming as the other lickers started to move across the room, she took a quick breath of burning air. Squeezing the trigger of the shotgun, it bucked in her hands as a cone of steel balls sang through the air. Most of them ripped through the shoulder and muscle of this…hanging licker as sprays of blood hit the wall behind it.

A horrible screech drew Wendy's attention as the closest skinless nightmare coiled and jumped toward her. She had precious few moments to aim as her hands raised the magnum on automatic reflexes.

'_**BANG!'**_

The firearm bucked heavily in her hands, almost flying from her grip as she staggered backwards from the recoil. Her hands vibrated…tingling from the large caliber round erupting from the barrel. But…luck was with her as the bullet tore through the face and lower brain of the licker. It created an explosion of flesh and ruptured muscle that flew across the room…with some hitting her chest armor.

Another blast of the shotgun rang behind her as Allyssa yelled something…but her ears were slightly ringing as a hand grasped her wrist.

"COME ON!" The blonde screamed as more of the lickers were moments away. Running past the now dead hanging licker that was missing part of its head, the duo of women ran for the double doors. The undead was pounding on the glass to their left…so they went to the right.

"I GOT IT!" Wendy cried out as she grabbed her bat with her right hand while gripping the magnum with her left. Multiple screeches and screams of the lickers behind them were getting closer…and she could've sworn she felt a whiff of passing claws near her back. Good thing she didn't look back.

Raising the bat, she smashed it against the glass as it gave way under the blow. It tinkled to the pavement outside like raining shards as Wendy jumped through the opening. A few cut her cheeks, drawing lines of blood as she emerged onto the street.

The zombie at the door started to turn toward her as Allyssa followed, her burgundy jacket smeared with ash as one of the lickers let out another screech of hunger and rage.

The situation was bad all around them. To their left, the road was a pileup with a city bus tipped over and blocking the road toward the school they had seen earlier…and they knew what lay beyond. The roadway to the left was open…aside from the five or six zombies gathered near the entrance…and moving closer.

"There's no time! Run!" Allyssa yelled to her friend as the teenager gripped her bat and followed the blondes lead. They quickly ran across the street, bags of fluttering garbage shifting in the night. One of the encroaching undead swiped at the reporter, its fingers raking across the jacket as it tried to get a grip, but failed.

Their boots and shoes echoed across the sidewalk as the tiny horde merged into one, their cries of hunger mixing in as one of the lickers slowly moved out of the ruined doorway. But the two women were already running down the two lane road past the burning hotel as the monsters gave chase.

Sprinting past abandoned vehicles and boarded up stores, their chests were heaving as the night air cooled their skin from the searing flames of before. Hell, they were simply running for the sake of fear as the distance widened between them and their pursuers.

Weaving away from another two zombies staggering in the road, the women glanced up ahead as the hungry moans almost seemed…disappointed in their escape. The street up ahead was blocked by a barricade of dumpsters, the green garbage containers lined up across the side road.

A lone zombie was standing there, her movements like a drunk as the women ran up. She was missing half a face, the torn shreds of skin hanging loose as the teeth glistened in the night under the streetlights.

"_Unnghh…"_

Wendy didn't even give it time to finish turning. She swiped low, the metal bat cracking and splintering the knee joint as the former woman fell to the pavement. It groaned and grunted, the hands skinning themselves as some bits of flesh came away on the ground.

"Start climbing, Allyssa! I got this!" Wendy stated with a hint of fury in her eyes. Needless to say…she needed to vent just a little. Raising her trusty bat over her head, Wendy brought it down with heavy force. The skull crunched…but it wasn't enough as Wendy hit the suffering cranium two more times. Bits of bone and blood flew, splattering the road and her boots as more moans echoed in the night behind her.

Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the tiny horde of infected stumbling and shuffling closer with only hunger in their undead eyes.

"Come on Wendy…we have to go" Allyssa said from the top of the closed dumpster as she extended a hand.

Giving a quick nod, the younger woman was helped up. Climbing over, they were soon on the other side of the dumpsters as another abandoned neighborhood lay before them. A short road stretched before them before turning north at the corner to some different part of the city. To their right were some walk up homes, but most were boarded up…or had blood on the front steps.

Their left was a small intersection, its path blocked further ahead by another tangle of ruined vehicles.

"Looks like it's forward for us" Wendy sighed as the moaning drew closer. Taking the first step, both females started to walk down the debris ridden road. Buildings on their left turned out to be a few shops, but nothing of interest since they really weren't in the mood for clothes shopping.

As they walked down the road, the two started to hear a familiar sound of…eating as slurping echoed from up ahead. Stopping in their tracks, both tried to discern the direction as the horrible noise seemed to come from the corner of the road…right around the corner of a bar.

The sign advertised it as 'Black Jack's Bar and Grill' over the door…and both of them knew it was the better option for now. Moving like sultry cats, both of them didn't utter a word as the slurping and noise of tearing flesh grew louder and louder.

Reaching the front door of the bar, Allyssa twisted the knob before pulling it open. Wendy dashed inside as Allyssa quickly followed and locked it with ease.

The cocking of a gun had them both freeze at the entrance as they started to look around the relatively clean establishment.

"Don't move" a female voice ordered from behind the bar as Allyssa and Wendy looked forward with their weapons lowered. They were not about to risk being shot with sudden movements.

She was a brunette, her hairstyle a short bob that ended near her ears. The face was beautiful, with feminine cheekbones and a soft chin. Her body was a dance of curves with long, slender legs that rose up to a black skirt. Her chest was covered with a strapless blue tube top that seemed to enhance her firm and sturdy breasts that slow rose with each breath.

"We're not zombies! We…wait…I know you…Jill?" Allyssa asked in disbelief as recognition danced between them. The brunette lowered her gun, her own face showing a bit of relief as she answered Allyssa's question.

"Yeah Allyssa…it's me. Jill Valentine in the flesh"

**And that is a wrap for chapter three! Hopefully I get a little more feedback this time than the last chapter…but it's good! I had fun writing this chapter! And obviously, we have a new heroine joining the group and that will continue next time! **

**I really have no news except I'll be starting another spin off story that takes place after chapter 46 of my main story, Dragon of the Cog. So if you haven't read it or caught up…DO SO!**

**Reviews fuel my writing prowess!**

**Jill: Wow…already in the story. I wonder if I'll meet that new guy…leon?**

**Allyssa: Now now…I'm sure you can have some fun with him after all this nightmare.**

**Wendy: I heard he's handsome…like movie star handsome **

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	4. Arrival

**Well, here I am with chapter 4! I know I haven't been getting many reviews due to the unusual nature of this RE story, but I still enjoy writing it. Really have no big news to report. Just that this story will see a conclusion in the future! So leave some positive words!**

**I still don't own any media for any games…**

**Chapter 4: Arrival**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 2:53 a.m.**

The road was a darkened ribbon of concrete as Leon S. Kennedy drove his jeep down the two lane highway toward Raccoon city. Fresh out of the academy, he was the image of a model officer. Diligent, Hard working and intelligent. A crack shot that scored in the top ten of his class along with high athleticism. And not to brag…but easy on the eyes for many of the women at the academy. While he didn't go actively pursuing some of the female cadets, he was no fool. Leon had been blessed with great genes and he would not waste them by screwing around and ruining his chances. Which was regrettable at some points…there had been some cute women there. Letting out a soft chuckle at that particular thought, he continued to drive down the deserted hi-way.

Taking a sip of his Pepsi, the rookie officer glanced at the clock on the dash as the radio wafted 'Highway to Hell' It was an oldie, but far better than the shitty pop music coming out these days Leon thought.

He had been driving most of the night, eager to start his first day as an officer of the R.P.D. Granted…his first day was actually on the third. But there was orientation, meeting with Lieutenant Branagh and his fellow officers, and unpacking all his belongs at his new apartment. But…he couldn't help but feel something was off. Picking up his cell phone from the passenger seat, he considered calling again…but fought against the urge.

"It has to be some downed cell tower. Plus, it's late. Even if I did get through, I'm sure they would just tell me to cool my jets and show up in the morning. I doubt Branagh would even be awake at this hour to play babysitter to a green faced rookie like myself" Leon reasoned with a short chuckle before his eyes grew concerned. "Still…I should've at least seen some traffic by now. Raccoon City has a population of almost a hundred thousand people. It's…stran- Ah crap…I need to get gas soon" he winced as the needle crept closer to the redline.

Peering ahead into the night, he made out the distant lights of a fill-up station half a mile down the road after several more miles of silent driving. But as he drove closer, his senses prickled.

"What the…" he muttered as he pulled in toward the pumps. A police cruiser belonging to the Arklay Sherrif's department was parked near the front of the station, the blue and red lights flashing in the night…but nobody could be seen.

Parking his own vehicle near one of the pumps, Leon quickly opened the door as he stepped out into the cool, night air. Pulling his Matilda from his holster, he quickly checked his weapon as the squad lights flickered and echoed across the deserted parking lot. Loaded with fifteen 9mm bullets, it was the only ammunition he had as he slowly walked toward the store front door.

Pushing it open as darkness loomed, Leon immediately pulled the flashlight from his pocket as the sounds of struggle emanated from somewhere in the structure. Passing the beam over the area, he saw knocked over shelves and spilled food everywhere as a low groan reached his ears.

Pushing down his fear, Leon moved his feet forward toward the rear aisle as the soles squeaked against the linoleum.

"Oh god…" he whispered as the cone of light passed over an older police officer resting against one of the cooler doors. A ragged wound was in his neck, blood still pumping as the portly officer groaned once more.

"H..Help…Tom. Tha…that guy…crazy" the bleeding man whispered as Leon nodded. Another crash of falling items came from the back, making the rookie grip the weapon tighter.

"Just hang in there, buddy. I'll come back for you" the fresh officer promised as he moved toward the back door. Pushing it open with a quick turn of the knob, Leon found himself in a narrow hallway that ran along the wall of coolers holding assorted drinks.

"Hng! Dammit!" a voice rang out from down the hall as Leon spun toward the source with his gun raised. The flashlight beam passed over two men. One a deputy, the other… He looked sick…like on a whole slew of drugs as pale white eyes reflected back. And the jaws…even as the sheriff tried to restrain the assailant with handcuffs, the attacker was trying to…bite him like a rabid animal.

The officer turned, his eyes pleading and fearful.

"SIR! Stay back! I have this—"

Leon could see the events that would unfold in an instant if he didn't react. His presence had distracted the other officer enough that the druggie was rearing back to take a bite out of the exposed neck. His instincts and training took over. A fellow officer was in danger and his course of action was clear.

Kennedy fired, his aim steady as the lone bullet tore through the air in an instant. The right side of the skull blew outwards, a heavy smattering of gore decorating the floor and nearby shelving as a waft of spent smoke wafted from the barrel.

Glancing back at the fallen body, Tom gulped as he looked back at the man that just saved his life.

"You alright officer?" the younger man asked as he slowly lowered the pistol away from Tom.

"Yeah…jesus. He was about to take a bite out of me just like Randall…SHIT! Randall!" Deputy Kincaid yelled as a loud crash and horrified scream broke out from the front of the store. Turning, both men rushed toward the door.

Flinging it open with his body as much as his hands, Leon was the first out into the main store…and it was horrible. A woman and two men were…eating the other officer as he thrashed and screamed. One of them bit at his throat, ripping it out in a frenzy of gore and blood as the horrible sounds of…chewing reached them both.

Tom wanted to throw up. He and Randall Tobbs had been partners for five years…and people were eating him in a mad…frenzy. The deranged woman pulled off a piece of skin, slowly eating it between blood caked teeth as her head shifted toward the two men standing there. Letting out a low rasp of hunger, she started to rise as the two men continued to feed on the now dead officer.

"RUN!" Leon shouted as he turned down the middle aisle, spurring his fellow officer to follow as their minds clawed with fear. Reaching the front door in seconds, he could see another of the deranged outside trying to smash their way in through a grated window.

Pushing it open, his heart wanted to jump out of his throat as over a dozen of these…people made their way across the parking lot. Four of them were already at the pumps near his jeep, staggering around the bumper like drunks as Tom pointed with a hitch of panic in his voice. No way in hell could they fight all of them off.

"My cruiser! Get in!" the dark haired man shouted as the flashing lights continued to flicker. Running around the vehicle as Leon pulled the passenger door open, both men were inside in brief moments as their attackers staggered toward the vehicle.

"Shit!" Tom yelled as he threw the car into reverse. Flooring it, the tires screeched as the vehicle reversed out of the lot. A person was hit, the low thud not really concerning the two men as the deputy shifted into drive. Hitting the hiway at maximum speed, the flashing lights lit up the night as both men breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"What…what the hell was that? Bath salts?" Leon asked the driver who promptly shook his head. His knuckles were white, gripping the wheel as he drove the cruiser along the hi-way toward the rapidly approaching city.

"I don't know! This isn't even part of my jurisdiction! My station patrols the area around Mayville and the Arklay mountains! This is supposed to be under Raccoon's jurisdiction, but they weren't answering any calls from our Captain. God! It…it's just like the cannibal murders from the summer I read about…groups of people just…eating each other" the thirty year old ranted as he slowly calmed down. Taking a deep breath, he cast his gaze toward the other man and finally noticed the uniform. Big letters in stenciled white decorated the body armor underneath the jacket, signifying the department.

"Wait…your R.P.D?"

"Yeah. Name's Leon Kennedy…hell of a first day on the job"

"Tom…Sherriff's Deputy Thomas Kincaid. Sorry for such a shitty start, Rook"

"That's putting it mildly" Leon tried to joke as the night passed and the city loomed closer. His eyes strained against the darkness up ahead, and he couldn't be sure, but Leon thought he saw the flickering of distant fires among the darkened skyline.

"I'll take us to your station. See just what the hell is going on that got my partner killed" Tom stated evenly as he put his eyes back on the darkened road before them…

**Mel's Diner. The outskirts of Raccoon City 3:01 a.m.**

Claire's motorcycle rumbled and gave one last gasp of life as she parked at the front of the diner. With the noise now gone as she swung her sore ass off the seat, it was almost deafening as she stretched her arms upward. Feeling her shoulders pop, the women gave a little yawn as her brown hair bobbed in its pony-tail fashion. Her breath could be seen, the October night sending a light chill down her skin.

Glancing around, she couldn't help but notice that the area seemed…off somehow. There was no traffic coming or going which was odd since Mel's was right on one of the main thoroughfares of Raccoon city. All the buildings were dark…with just a few streetlights casting pools against the concrete. Looking back at the restaurant, Claire could only see a small yellow hatchback and a green pick up truck in the parking lot with years of rust and chipped paint.

"Must be my imagination. But it is odd since this place is twenty four hours…there should be a few more night owls here for a bite to eat" Claire reasoned as she walked toward the diner doors. The interior was well lit as she pushed the glass partition open.

There was nobody here. Not a single soul.

"Hello?" she called out before her nose crinkled. It stank like…rotting meat. _"Did they miss their inspection?"_ She idly thought as a 'thump' resonated from the back of the diner past the L-shaped counter top. Even the silverware and placemats were still there as Claire slowly walked forward. A strangled rasp rang out, making her instincts flare as another 'thump' reached her senses. It sounded like the metal of a door being beaten by a wild animal or something…

Reaching to the small of her back, Claire pulled the Smith and Wesson .38 revolver from the holster. She had gotten a concealed carry permit last year. Which prompted her brother Chris to buy her this handgun as a gift before heading off to college. While it wasn't some show stopper like Barry's .44, it was a reliable firearm that could serve in a pinch. It felt reassuring in her hands as a small pouch on her right hip held an extra twelve bullets. In her opinion, it was better to have extra than not enough.

Taking a defensive stance with her weapon raised, Claire moved forward as her heart thudded in her chest. _"Where is everybody? Shouldn't there at least be a cook and waiter here? This makes no sense"_

Her thoughts were a jumble, but she needed to stay focused….just like her brother taught her. Claire shifted her feet forward, her grip tight as she swung around the corner of the diner to reveal the rest. Her gaze and aim immediately shifted to the cook battering on the door to the cleaning closet set into the wall on her left past the end of the counter. He was balding and with a heavy gut…but the smell. It was the same smell as finding a rotting skunk beside the road. The man continued to beat at the door, his fingernails cracked and bleeding as they left streaks of torn skin across the surface. Letting out a pitiful moan, he continued to beat the door as his teeth snapped. _"Is he drunk at work?"_ the woman thought to herself as she slowly lowered the gun from fifteen feet away.

"Sir? Are you alright? Do…do you need me to call you a cab?" she asked as the cook stopped pounding on the door and slowly turned to face her.

"Oh…Oh my god…" Claire whispered in horror as she finally saw his face and the rest of his body. Most of his features had been hidden before with his body turned away…but not anymore. His chest was a mess of torn skin and exposed muscle as several organs were visible with blood drying on the ravaged smock. But his face…god…he was missing his whole face. There was no skin left and one of his eyes was missing as the sinew shifted. The cook let out a hungered rasp, slowly starting to march forward as he limped.

"Please! Don't come any closer!" Claire shouted as her voice cracked. _"What's wrong with this guy!? He should be dead or screaming in pain! At the very least, he shouldn't be walking around in a diner!" _That's when a horrifying thought entered her head. The childhood memories of watching cheesy zombie movies with her brother. Of laughing at the heroes and survivors making stupid mistakes…of not accepting the facts that dead people were walking around eating their neighbors and families. _"No…this can't be real! It…it should be impossible!"_ she tried to reason as the…zombie stumbled and weaved his way closer.

She tried one more time and silently prayed she was wrong.

"STOP! OR I WILL SHOOT!" Claire shouted out as the fear continued to climb and leak into her very core.

The man didn't stop….and was only seven feet away now.

Claire fired into his chest, hitting the area that would hold his heart as the gun flash echoed through the building. A spurt of coagulated blood leaked from the wound as the man stumbled back a few steps, but the passage of the bullet barely slowed him down as Claire backed up several feet to give herself room.

"I…it's really a zombie…" the brunette gulped as she re-shifted her aim…

Cindy Lennox had been hiding in the cleaning closet for hours as she clutched the meat cleaver in her hands to protect herself from that crazed man outside. Dressed in simple white shoes, blue jeans that showed off her slender legs, and a yellow shirt sporting the image of a blue cat, one could think her outfit was…girly. But for Cindy, it just fit in with her bright personality…which was having a hard time staying calm right now.

The room smelled of chemicals and cleaning supplies as the darkness enveloped her. She had just arrived back in Raccoon from a long weekend visiting her parents in Milton on the other side of the Arklay Mountains. It had been a fun time to catch up with her mother and father. Of course…her mom brought up when she would find a nice man to give her grandkids…which was the last thing on her mind right now.

She had just been hungry for some fries and some crispy chicken with a chocolate malt when she pulled up in her little hatchback this evening. But as soon as she stepped in, she saw Charlie laying on the floor in the kitchen all torn up…with his face gone. When she had rushed over to see if he was still alive…he tried to bite her. If anything, she should count her blessings she was able to grab a weapon at all before running. Unfortunately in her panic, she had run the wrong way and found herself trapped as he beat and moaned against the doors for hours.

"God…it was Charlie. He's always been so nice to everybody…what's wrong with him?" Cindy asked herself as the beating suddenly stopped. The shadow from the crack under the door moved away suddenly before she heard shouting then a gunshot seconds later.

It was her chance to escape and run. Reaching for the doorknob, she quickly twisted the latch as she gripped the meat cleaver in her slender fingers. Pushing it open, she saw Charlie walking toward another woman with brunette hair and clothed in a red jacket with matching shorts. Cindy's eyes locked with the other woman's, almost communicating on a deeper level as the blonde raised the meat cleaver behind the staggering man.

"UNGH!" Cindy uttered as she swung down with the blade at the balding head. It dug deep, cracking past the bone as flecks of blood sprayed. Some landed on her shirt, but Cindy really didn't mind that little fact. Pulling the meat cleaver back, the body dropped to the tiled floor as her hands shook.

"God…I just killed Charlie…" Cindy whispered as the other woman stepped forward.

"Hey. Thanks for that…I…shot him in the heart and he didn't die…just what the hell is—"

'**THUMP!'**

Both females turned to the source of the sound at the front of the eatery near the door…and felt the fear rise. Four people were beating against the window and door, their faces bloody and bodies covered with horrible wounds. Their eyes were dead…missing the spark of humanity as their moans and rasps reached them both.

"We…We need to get out of here! That glass won't hold them for long!" Claire said in an almost shout as two more could be seen stumbling across the parking lot toward the building.

"The back door!" The blonde said loudly as she grabbed Claire's hand and pulled her along. Shoes and biker boots slapped against the tile before Cindy pushed the emergency exit open with such force that she almost stumbled.

A groan rasped from their left near the garbage dumpster, which turned out to be a woman missing her left arm above the elbow as her milky eyes centered on the two human's.

"Crap!" Claire shouted in fear as both turned toward the right, heading toward the parking lot. Running past the corner of the building, both women could see the small gathering at the door, still trying to gain entrance as the first broke through the glass entranceway. Running toward the middle of the parking lot, they quickly saw their vehicles were too close to the crazed men and women. They would be overwhelmed before they even reached the truck.

"Oh no…" Cindy whispered as she looked all around. Not including the ones in the parking lot and the woman near the dumpster, there were still another five or six staggering and limping toward them from all directions.

"There's too many to fight off" Claire said in a hoarse panic as she pointed the gun at the closest…zombie in the middle of the street. They were shambling closer, the moans and rasps filled with unyielding hunger as Cindy clutched the meat cleaver tightly to her chest.

Flashing lights reflected in the night, bouncing off the pavement in a staccato of bursts. A harsh mixture of blue and red as the roar of an engine drew closer. Screeching tires came next as the police cruiser collided with the undead man before her, sending him flying like a crumpled bag as it came to a halt.

The door flew open…to reveal the handsomest man Claire or Cindy had ever seen. A dimpled chin and strong cheekbones…broad shoulders that mixed perfectly with his sandy brown hair. He was modeled like a movie star…but he was a cop instead.

"GET IN!" Leon shouted as he took a stance with his pistol drawn. The gunshot flashed in the night air, mixing in with the lightbar on the metallic roof as the officer fired at the next closest attacker to the two women. It had been a man still wearing headphones as a cracked cellphone dangled from the extended cord. The shot had punched a hole through the forehead, re-killing the man as he fell just eight feet away from Claire and Cindy.

It snapped them out of their stupor, spurning their desire to live as Cindy flung the rear door open. Scooting across the seat, Claire was inside in the blink of an eye behind the other female as Leon slammed his own door shut.

"Hang on!" Tom yelled out as he floored the gas, spinning the tires before swerving around the large grouping that was shambling toward them. Moving into the center lane, the deputy kept his hands steady as they drove down the deserted city streets.

"Oh fuck…I can't believe it…zombies…actual fucking zombies…" Claire said softly as the handsome man looked back at her with concern.

"Yeah…it's…it's starting to look like it…" the younger man said in a tone of shock before softly shaking his head. "I'm Leon Kennedy. That's Tom"

"Claire. Claire Redfield. I came here looking for my brother, Chris…can see why I couldn't reach him…" the brunette woman said in a lowering tone as the blonde tried to give a warm smile.

"I'm Cindy Lennox. I was…just returning from visiting my parents…just what the heck is going on?"

"I dunno Cindy, but we're heading to the station. Hopefully the police have set up some sort of emergency shelter to deal with this disaster" Tom replied as he slowed down. Steering around an abandoned truck in the road, the deputy could see…the remains of somebody's corpse that had just been…picked clean. Driving past as the streetlights lined the way, the Arklay sheriff hadn't even bothered to turn off the emergency lights as darkened buildings loomed all around them.

The next few minutes passed in silence among the four, each in their own thoughts as Tom continued to drive through the abandoned streets. But as each looked out the windows of the squad car, they could feel their optimism drop. Pile-ups and groups of the undead were getting thicker as the destruction became more wide spread. It wasn't uncommon for them to drive past groups of the ghouls feeding on something in the road…most likely a former resident that had been too slow.

"This is…awful…like a nightmare…" Cindy said quietly as the cruiser turned down a side street. Her eyes were looking at everything…taking in the sinister details as a few disturbed infected tried to give chase, but quickly fell behind. A building on the left was burning out of control, several corpses walking outside as their skin slowly grew black from the flames. The car zoomed past well above the speed limit, leaving them to moan pitifully as the human's continued on their somber journey through Raccoon.

"Shit" Tom uttered as a roadblock loomed ahead. Several vehicles had crumpled against each other, blood spilled among the shattered glass as a few of the corpses staggered and turned toward the police car. Turning south down a one way side street, they entered a residential neighborhood as the traffic snarls grew worse and worse. A minivan had tipped over on its side to their right, blocking most of the road as three former children feasted on the remains of a man that had been trapped in the wreck. The headlights and flashers made it look like a fresh nightmare as the car slowed. They could make it through on the left side, but it would be a tight fit for the vehicle as one of the zombified children pulled off a string of flesh from their victim and ate it with gusto.

"Donald's gonna pissed when I bring this back to the sheriff's station all scratched up" Tom tried to joke as the wheels bumped and rocked over the curb. Driving up onto the sidewalk, Leon and the others grimaced as sparks flew past. Metal screeched on their right as the cruiser door took damage from the overturned minivan, garnering the rapid attention of the zombified children.

Making it through onto a wider street, they turned left as several corpses staggered and walked about the darkened road like nightmarish drunks.

"That's the school. The station should just be up ahead" Leon pointed out as his eyes caught a massive blaze out of the corner of his eye. Gazing down another side street, the rookie officer saw a mob of the infected slamming at the gates of the Apple Inn while Tom drove them around a school bus in the middle of the intersection.

Blood and horrid chunks of meat were slick on the ground, making Claire gulp at what it signified. _"Those poor children…" _she thought as the police station lit up like a heavenly oasis in the night. It was only two blocks away, and quickly approaching. Abandoned buildings and cars lined the street, some doors flung open as only a few of the zombies littered the area.

"DAMN!" Tom yelled out as he slammed on the brakes. Tires screeched as the other three were flung forward, Claire almost hitting her head against the front headrest.

"Watch it!" she snapped, her stress returning as the college student looked ahead to the cause of the stop. A gridlock of cars, trucks, and other vehicles clogged the roadway right in front of the station, barring any further progress as Leon looked back with a small apologetic smile.

"You alri—" His eyes widened as his face was illuminated with horror and the brightened illumination of approaching headlights.

"We need to get out, NOW!" the rookie shouted as he flung his door open. His shoes hit the cold pavement as he turned, his hand grasping the rear door in one fluid motion as he yanked the handle open. Claire and Cindy spilled out, their bodies staggering as Leon tried to push them away toward the tangled mess of traffic.

Tom was out, his eyes locked onto the massive fuel tanker barreling down the residential neighborhood street as it collided with that bus further away. The school transport spun and sparked from the blow, hitting a nearby home as the tanker swerved left and right. It was completely out of control as it barreled down the road, knocking over several street lights like toothpicks.

"Fuck!' the deputy yelled as he ran toward the others near the right side of the street near the other three. _"That driver is completely out of control? Is he being attacked? Turned into one of those things while driving!?"_

A screech of tearing metal mixed in with the bloom of fire and concussive force as the fuel transport hit the police cruiser without the slightest attempt at stopping. Cindy was thrown off her feet, her body hitting the brickwork of a store as the searing flames expanded outward and upward. The noise was terrifying, making her scream out in fear as her side flared from the hard landing.

"Ughh…" she groaned out as she spotted the meat cleaver laying near her hands. Grasping the weapon in her right palm, pain raced up her side as she tried to move. Crackling flames emitted untold amounts of heat behind her, making her back feel like it was near a furnace as she tried to pick herself up. She wanted to vomit as pain and fear tried to take control. A hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her upwards in a yanking motion as her senses still tired to make sense of everything.

"Run! That woke up the whole neighborhood!" Claire shouted in the blonde's face as the reflection of fire danced across her skin in the night. A gunshot rang out, prompting both women to turn toward Officer Kincaid as he kept his gun raised toward his front.

Two zombies were staggering through the wrecks, mouths agape with hunger as they blocked the narrow path through the tangled steel. Tom fired again as Leon joined him, both of their training evident as the closest undead fell in a tangle of limbs.

Leon could see the horrible injuries on the woman before him, her arms torn to shreds as blood leaked from the ragged wound in her shoulder onto the secretary blouse she wore. It may have once been nice and fitting on the former thirty year old, but she was nothing but a husk now.

He fired, the pistol jumping in his firm grip as the explosive force lit up the night around them. It was a true shot, blowing a way through the bridge of her nose as flakes of bone flew. The zombie dropped to the pavement, the body slumping against an open car door that gave a slight groan from the weight.

"Move! Don't stop till we reach the gate!" Leon commanded as he and Kincaid led the way through the gridlock of abandoned cars with their weapons gripped tight in the crisp night air.

Glancing back toward the crash site as she supported Cindy who was obviously limping from the hard landing, Claire could see the entire road was a raging inferno of crackling fire that was hot even from this distance. But as she peered closer, she saw some of the infected starting to wander into the burning fuel as they were drawn by the noise and activity. Not wanting to be left behind with the unfolding horror, she continued to help Cindy walk as the two officers kept the way clear.

'_Thump!'_

She slightly jumped as an infected man beat against the closed window of his pickup truck wedged between two cars. The hood was a crumpled mess as he pressed his pale skin against the window to try and reach the two females. Gulping as his dead eyes locked on them both, Claire hurried her footsteps as they weaved around an ambulance near the entrance.

"Ah…my side" Cindy whimpered as pain flared up her right torso. She was clutched tight to Claire as the two moved around the emergency vehicle to the front gate of the station despite her uneven steps. Turning her head as her blonde ponytail bounced, Cindy could see more of the undead shambling closer from the nearby T-intersection that led south toward a street that led into more of the city.

"Quick! Inside!" Leon shouted out as he took station at the gate with Tom. The two women hurried past, prompting the two officers to duck into the small courtyard of the station. Moving toward either side, the two men pushed the gate shut with a groan of rusting hinges before Leon slammed the locking bar into place…and not too soon. Over a dozen of the infected had noticed them, their groans mixing in with the nearby fire as the first slammed against the steel bars. A bloodied hand jutted through the gap, but it couldn't reach any of them as more pressed their weight against the barrier, making it rattle.

"W…will it hold?" Cindy asked through clenched teeth as her left hand nursed her side. She still had her weapon by some miracle, but it wouldn't be enough against a tiny horde of these monsters.

"Yeah. It's rated to withstand full blown riots. But we should still get inside" Leon commented as he moved away from the gate and past several body bags lining the ten foot brick wall along the perimeter. It was a bad omen for him as he hurried up the steps with the others close behind. Pushing open the double doors to the precinct, the four pushed inside as Tom closed it immediately after. A heavy click of the lock made a reassuring sound in the echoing lobby as Claire looked around.

"It's empty…nobody's here…" she observed as her gaze passed over several gurneys and buckets of bloody bandages near a closed gate to her left.

"That can't be right. There…has to be somebody left. These are trained professionals" Leon muttered as his own eyes settled on a partially opened metal shutter that led to the East wing of the station. A sign in big letters read 'KEEP OUT!' as darkness loomed from underneath. Shoes clicking as he walked down the short staircase, he moved toward the main desk as the staircase to the second level loomed behind it with the statue of a maiden holding a water jug.

Helping Cindy forward, Claire led her up the small ramp as she passed by a second door on the left wall with a pane of messy glass. It led to the patrolman's department, but she ignored it as her eyes settled on several cots nearby.

"Here…sit down and rest" the brunette suggested with a kind tone as Cindy let out another painful groan. Lowering herself onto the cot, the former waitress felt a sigh of relief as the pain receded somewhat. Looking around, Claire spotted a roll of gauze and some medical salve on a nearby table.

"You boys better not be peeking" she tried to tease as the two officers checked the perimeter for any threats. Nodding solemnly, both went back to the front desk to see if they could find anything of use as Cindy lifted up her shirt to reveal a heavily bruised side.

Letting out a low whistle, Claire could see it turning a dark blue and purple already. "Got quite the badge of honor already" she joked as she started to apply the medicine.

"Yeah…I guess…thank you. If you hadn't come along…I would still be stuck int that closet…or worse"

"Well…you know…I was just stopping for some late dinner…didn't plan on being on the menu myself…"

This prompted Cindy to give a light giggle at the joke, prompting both to smile as they gained a little time to bond.

Leon and Tom could hear the two women talking on the other side of the desk, but it barely registered as they watched the security camera play a live feed from the sealed wing of the station. There was an officer firing at one of the undead in a hallway, the shots proving ineffective as the man kicked the abomination away with a heavy kick.

"_Ford! Marvin! Williams! I think I found a way out! But…dammit! Send reinforcements!" _The officer yelled out before the screen blinked out.

"We have to help him" Leon stated matter of factly as a map of the station displayed itself after the feed cut. _"That looked like it was past the Watchman's room…"_ He reasoned as he gripped the pistol in his hands tighter. Glancing at Officer Kincaid, he gave a subtle nod.

"Technically your in command, but one of us should stay here to watch over those two. We can't leave civilians unguarded in this kind of situation"

He was practically repeating what his instructors taught him at the academy. Even now, their words of _protect and serve_ rang inside his head as Leon wracked his brain on how to handle this situation. Unfortunately, there weren't classes to deal with zombie epidemics and flesh eating monsters.

"Are you sure, Kennedy? I can go" Kincaid offered.

Leon shook his head, making his parted hair waver in the brightly lit hall. He could see it…how terrified Tom was.

"No. I've already been here for my interview in August. I know my way around. Plus, I'd feel better with an experienced officer watching them" Leon indicated to the two women further away out of sight. Knowing that no more time could be wasted, the young officer headed to the partially open shutter. Crawling onto his belly, he shined the small flashlight into the gloom. Not seeing anything that would try to bite his face, Leon crawled under the shutter into the darkness as his throat clenched with fear.

Standing up in the looming shadows, Leon could barely make out anything as he waved the beam of light around the hallway. The small staircase that led to the detective offices on his right reflected back as a pool of water gathered at the bottom. Wrinkling his nose from the toilet water gathered before him, the young policeman took a step forward as he braced the flashlight over his pistol in a way that let him see and shoot at the same time.

"Man…some first day, huh Leon?" He asked himself in a whisper as his footwear sloshed into the overflow of water. It reached past his ankles, a barely tolerable cold as he tried to ignore the sensation. Walking forward as each shadow seemed to loom and hold some hidden threat, he tried to be cautious. But that officer needed his help.

Coming to the corner past the office's, he swung wide as his flashlight pierced the darkness. A small closet in the wall on the opposite side was open, the door damaged with claw marks as Leon stepped closer. Peering inside, he saw a familiar reddish box resting on a shelf. Picking it up as the sounds of water dripped around him, the rookie shook it as loose bullets rattled inside.

Giving a small smile at his find, he shoved them into a pocket before stepping back into the main corridor. His feet were damn cold as water swirled and sloshed around them. Keeping his gun raised as he moved forward, the flashlight beam reflected back as a gray cabinet had tipped over. Blocking the hall completely, it was resting at a tilted angle as the rookie grunted.

"No way I'm going through those offices. Who knows what's in there" He whispered softly as he braced his shoulder against the metal furniture. Pushing with a strain of muscles, the shelving tilted back into place with a loud _'thud'_

Leon winced. That had been too loud. _"Please don't draw any attention"_ he silently prayed as he walked past the pressroom doors on his left. They were shut tight, but he didn't have time to explore as he walked forward. Another hallway led to his left toward the bathrooms as the sound of running water echoed louder. Taking a glance, he didn't see a point in going that way. The hallway toward the interrogation rooms had been completely blocked off by a mountain of furniture and garbage.

"_An impromptu barricade…"_ Leon thought as he kept moving toward the next turn in the hall as he went up the small, two step staircase. His shoes clicked in the silence on the dirty tile as the flashlight passed over the scene before him.

He stopped in his tracks, the blood in his veins freezing as dried gore covered the floors and walls. It looked like three or four officers had been attacked by the undead. Their bodies covered in dried wounds, Leon could see one former police man slumped against the wall in the corner as he slowly approached. Part of the shoulder was gone…ripped out as tattered remains of the uniform stitched against the wound. A civilian woman lay on the tile face down as Leon gave a low gulp.

This was too awful. He knew that becoming a police officer would entail seeing death or other depravities of human nature, but that's why he became one…to protect. But this…this was something else.

A muffled shout and gunshot rang from close by in the watchman's room as the sound was muffled by walls of plaster wood. Turning immediately, Leon pushed down his growing dread as he opened the door to the little office…

**Twenty minutes earlier at Black Jack's Bar.**

"Allyssa…It's good to see your still alive" Jill said with a strained smile as she looked at the blonde as she kept her pistol lowered. She had a high respect for the reporter, the woman always asking the tough questions for the truth…much to the fury of Chief Irons behind closed doors. She had been one of the few people to believe Jill and the rest of the surviving S.T.A.R.S after the mansion incident, but she knew what had happened. Ashcroft's own bosses had squashed it immediately, threatening to fire her on the spot if she even _thought_ about continuing her investigation. Her news station would've become a laughing stock to the city and reporting community…she really couldn't blame the woman for backing away from the story.

"Same here Jill. But I thought the S.T.A.R.S. left Raccoon weeks ago?" Allyssa asked as she looked at her…well not friend. But a fellow female that she did respect.

"They did. Left for Europe to look into Umbrella's headquarters. I stayed behind to try and find eviden—" Jill finally noticed the strange appearance of the younger woman besides Allyssa standing there with a…cautionary stance. Blue Hair that flowed down her back was the least of the strangeness as this young woman was wearing quite the set of body armor. While it wasn't perfect, it seemed to protect the chest and vital points on the limbs. Dried gore and a ragged furrow of claw marks decorated the right shoulder of the armor this female was wearing. A pistol was still gripped in her right hand as a baseball bat seemed to…hang off the back of the armor with no support. There was a side pouch on her left hip, holding unknown contents as Jill finished the observation in the blink of an eye.

"Who's your friend?" Jill asked with a waver of caution as the girl spoke up.

"I'm Wendy Marvell. If you're a friend of Allyssa then you're a friend of mine" she stated simply as Jill gave a low nod. Looking at the firearm in her grasp, the police officer pointed with a slender finger. She knew it was a stupid question, but she had to ask.

"You know how to use that?"

"She sure does" Allyssa vouched as the blonde leaned against the polished bar. Wiping some of the soot from her face and sticky sweat, the reporter would've killed for a shower right now before continuing. "The kid's a great shot. Say's her big sister in the military taught her how to use firearms. To be honest Jill, if it wasn't for her, I'd probably be monster chow by now"

Jill was still a little skeptical, but she had to appreciate an extra person with a gun in this city. "I'll make that judgement for myself. No offense, but I believe in seeing somebody's skills first hand instead of just word of mouth" the busty cop replied as the younger girl nodded, her blue locks shifting.

"None taken. My big sister is the same way. Her attitude kinda rubbed off on me. Words are cheap. Actions prove otherwise" Wendy replied as Jill gave a small smile. She could see why Allyssa stood up for her just moments before.

"I haven't gotten to search this place yet…wanna help me out while we catch up?" Jill asked her new comrades who both gave assenting nods. Spreading out as they started to search the bar for anything of use, the three women started to relay the tale of their journeys so far as the minutes ticked by. It didn't take them long to search the entirety of the place as they gathered the findings on the smooth bar.

"Honestly you two…I can't believe you encountered some new horrors of Umbrella" Jill replied after hearing the tale of how the two others fought among the burning ruins of the Apple Inn with skinless monsters attacking them. The fact they escaped was a miracle in itself as the trio looked at their finds.

A shoulder harness of black material for a shotgun had been stashed near the safe by the register, but no weapon for it had been found. Next to the harness sat a first aid spray, a silver plated lighter that was still filled with lighter fuel, a flashlight, and half filled box of ammunition.

"Not too bad considering…" Wendy observed as Allyssa grabbed the shotgun harness. Slipping it on, she was quick in her movements to adjust it to her frame before placing her weapon in the holster on her back.

"Perfect fit" she joked lightly as Jill opened the box of ammunition. She had already taken the first aid spray, flashlight and lighter, pocketing them in her side pouch.

"Hmm… eight 9mm and four .357 rounds…."

"I'll take those" Wendy said immediately, grabbing the more powerful bullets with a snatch of her fingers.

"I have less than a full mag for my pistol" Allyssa stated as she grabbed the final bullets and placed them away for safe keeping.

"You girls are greedy" Jill joked, trying to find humor in the situation just as the back door to the alley behind the bar reverberated with a heavy blow.

Snapping their guns up in an instant, each female took a defensive stance as the wooden door rattled again. Each of them felt the fear climb up their skin, goosebumps prickling as a strangled voice echoed from the other side.

"_NO! Stay back! Stay Back!"_ A man shouted as a trio of gun shots snapped from the other side. The door was hit again, the frame splintering as shards of wood flew inward. A man with light brown hair ran inside, clutching his bleeding side as crimson fluid decorated his orange vest and green pants. He was clutching a pistol, the slide cocked back indicating an empty magazine as his arm wavered and shifted toward the door. Nearby moans were approaching with the shifting of dragging feet from the alley as the first of the undead appeared in the doorway.

"Brad?" Jill asked in shock as she recognized the cowardly pilot. He turned momentarily just as the first of the zombies staggered in.

"NO! Stay back!" He cried out in cowardly fear as he pulled the trigger…to an empty click. The zombie lunged forward, its maw of rotting teeth sinking into Brad's shoulder as he fell to the floor. A horrible scream unfurled from his lips as some flesh was torn free with bloody fabric, the first zombie already chewing in satisfaction. Three more of the undead wandered in, drawn toward the noise of screaming, none of them noticing the three women as they sank to the floor to participate in the feeding frenzy.

"JILL! HELP! HELP ME!" He tried to cry out just as a zombified woman tore into his throat, spraying warm blood over his chest as she wrestled the morsel of flesh free.

There was nothing they could do. It had happened in the span of seconds. And even if they had, those zombies would've been attacking them now.

Turning, the three women ran toward the broken doorway past the feeding ghouls who were still preoccupied with eating Brad Vickers as he slowly stopped thrashing about.

Running down the short concrete steps into the alleyway, they found it deserted as it forked to their left and to the north as a few outdoor lights flickered, trying to keep the darkness of night at bay.

"The station is this way. Should only be two streets away from here" Jill stated as she pulled the flashlight from her pouch. To be honest with herself, watching Brad die hadn't really affected her. He had been a spineless coward, stranding them at the mansion this past summer while they had to deal with that survival nightmare.

Flicking on the small flashlight, she cast the area before her in a new illumination as the three women started to walk forward. Shadows loomed as they walked past overturned garbage cans and other refuse while the groans of the undead in the distance wavered over the air.

Coming to the end of the short alleyway, Wendy glanced back at the way they had came. They weren't being pursued, but watching a man being eaten alive was…horrible. _"There was nothing that we could have done. It looked like he had taken a nasty bite on his stomach and what happened after…it just happened too fast"_

She shivered before refocusing. She couldn't afford to be distracted by a corpse in a bar.

"It looks clear" Jill said softly as she stood at the corner of a building, her eyes glancing around the side street to the left as Allyssa did the same at the other corner.

It was narrow with a few abandoned cars lining one way along the far side as the trio looked for any threats. There weren't any.

Turning her head to the right, Allyssa saw the road leading to a larger street as flickering streetlamps cast pools of light upon broken glass and abandoned wrecks in the road.

"Book Street. Leads right to the precinct" Jill observed as she led the way toward the roadway. Clicking off her flashlight, the officer felt reassured that power was still available in this part of the city as the road was still properly lit further ahead. Their boots crunched on loose gravel and glass, sounding like firecrackers in the cool night as they moved cautiously. Coming onto the roadway that was lined with shops, they halted their footsteps before ducking down behind a brown sedan left in the middle of the debris strew street. Over a dozen of the undead were mingling about further ahead, blocking any progress near a secondary alleyway set between two buildings on the left.

"Shit" Allyssa cursed in a low whisper as Wendy peeked over the hood covered with bloodstains. Ducking back down as one of the undead moaned and staggered listlessly, the girl turned to the others.

"They haven't noticed us…yet. We need to form a plan otherwise they could swarm us" She relayed in a quiet voice as she lightly shifted her feet. Even from here…they could all hear the horrible moans and rasps.

'_**BBBOOOOM!'**_

An explosion rattled the three, shaking the ground as windows vibrated from the nearby shockwave. Eyes widening, all three women looked in the distance…but couldn't see anything for a cause as the small mob of undead started to shamble and weave toward the source.

"That…that was surprisingly convenient" Allyssa concluded as the horde continued to walk toward the station. Staying in a low crouch, all three women moved like cats from behind the car as they eyed the station just a few hundred feet away. Creeping along the sidewalk along the right hand side of the street covered with shards of glass, the women moved past broken and looted storefronts as they finally saw the cause. A raging blaze had engulfed the main road toward the school with the skeletal remains of a tanker truck burning like the fires of hell.

Gunshots were heard. Just a few, but enough to prove that somebody was still alive as the small group watched four people run and stagger toward the main gate. Jill could barely make it out, but she saw at least two police officers among them as the streetlights near the entrance were flickering.

They made it inside safely, but not before locking the gate and sealing off their own means of entering. The dead had been drawn to the noise of gunfire and survivors, battering against the steel bars with hungry gasps as Jill pointed further ahead to the right.

"Come on. We might be able to get inside along the East wall" She suggested as the other two nodded.

"At least we know there are other survivors…" Allyssa lamented as they all stayed low and in a crouch. The road way ahead was just a mess of cars. Tangled wrecks of all types. It was a miracle that the station gates were unblocked as it was. But with that raging fire consuming the street to their left, all three knew that going that way would be…suicidal.

Weaving their way past several more vehicles, the trio felt a surge of luck as most of the undead had started to meander toward the noise. While some were stuck between the vehicles or trapped inside, the three made rapid progress.

Making it to the right…or east side of the building, Jill pointed toward a narrow alleyway that ran along the edge of the property. There was a sturdy gate that blocked the entrance with a heavy padlock hanging from it as a lone zombie wavered and swayed near the entrance.

A truck was parked along the wall, blocking half the passage as more wrecks surrounded the three. Raising her gun, Jill was about to line up a shot before Wendy pressed a hand and lowered the firearm. Pressing a finger to her lips, the young girl unholstered her baseball bat as she slinked forward.

"_She's like a cat…"_ Jill thought as the girl didn't give off the slightest sound during her approach.

Getting within range, Wendy didn't hesitate as she swung her melee weapon at the zombified citizen's head in an overhead arc. It crunched against the cranium, making the zombie fall under the surprise blow. Moving back a few feet, Wendy looked like a feral beast herself as she swung again and crushed more of the skull in two quick blows as bits of blood and bone scattered across the darkened road. It twitched once more before lying still as Wendy looked at the locked gate…then the empty truck bed. Climbing up into the empty bed as her boots gave off a low echo, she eyed the upper wall.

"Nice work" Jill said in a low amount of praise as she soon climbed up with Allyssa.

"Thanks" Wendy replied as she jumped up and grasped the lip of brickwork. Climbing up herself, she straddled the wall and looked into the narrow passage beyond. It was dark…insidiously so with barely any light.

"Jill. Flashlight" Wendy ordered with an extended hand as the officer complied. Flicking it on seconds later, the blunette cast the beam down the alleyway. It was deserted as far as she could see. Handing it back, she told them her observations before hopping down toward the other side with a low grunt of landing.

In a minute, the other two women had landed as well. Wendy couldn't help notice Jill's breasts bounce in her tube top, making her silently glad Natsu wasn't here to distract the poor woman. _"She'd probably drag him off to some closet and fuck him without even realizing why…damn. DAMN SEXY NATSU!"_ Wendy silently screamed in her head before shaking it, making her blue locks shift.

"Follow me. We can climb in through one of the windows" Jill suggested as they started to walk forward in the night as a few outdoor lights burned from the nearby courtyard on the other side of the wall. It was enough that they weren't fumbling in complete darkness as they quickly made their way forward.

Shouting and a few gunshots grabbed their attention up ahead as they felt the hackles of dread rise up. Gunshots meant people fighting monsters…which meant that they could be inside the station already.

"Hurry" Jill hissed out as they picked up the pace. Shoes and boots kicked up loose gravel as they ran, they finally made it to an open window.

"This runs along the toward the break room and basement" Jill described as she peeked in over the sill as a few groans and the smell of rot met her nostrils while a panicked scream assaulted all their ears.

The emergency barricade was partially up as a cop was trying to pull himself through while hands grasped from the other side. The zombies were approaching, not seeing Jill's face as they staggered toward the officer.

"COME ON! PULL ME THROUGH!" The man screamed as the other pair of hands grabbed a sturdy hold. The first of the undead was only five feet away now as Jill made a snap decision.

"Allyssa! Help me!" Jill ordered as she raised her pistol through the window. The blonde complied in the blink of an eye as the busty brunette fired. The flash of light lit up the hallway as the bullet struck the first zombie in the back of the neck. Coagulated blood flew as it turned, the new threat and noise making the struggling officer forgotten as the duo of undead turned toward the window.

The reporter fired at the second man, the noise of gunfire deafening in the silent night as the shot went wide and hit the shoulder.

"Shit!" the blonde cursed as the two monsters moaned and staggered closer. Re-aiming, Allyssa fired again as the second bullet found its mark and punched a hole through the mouth of the zombified man. Teeth were shattered upon the passage as it reeled back, but it realigned itself as it came forward once again as the back neck exploded outward. The head flopped to the side awkwardly as Allyssa aimed one more time. Pulling the trigger, the matted hair covered head snapped back as the third round struck an eye and destroyed the brain in a blink.

"GOTCHA!" Another voice shouted out from behind the shutter as the officer was pulled to safety before muffed gunfire flashed in the distant room.

It had only been a few seconds since the small gunfight started, but the last zombie was quickly put down by Jill as the top of the skull flew away, spreading gore onto the nearby wall. Lowering her smoking pistol, the former member of S.T.A.R.S started to climb upward into the hallway. A few shards of broken glass dotted the window frame, but nothing to cause concern as the other two women quickly followed.

"Crap…if we hadn't come along, that guy would've been lunch by now" Allyssa observed as she glanced at the narrow opening. Even now, they could still hear the distant shouts of commotion past the shutter as the three women stood in the silent hallway.

"We need to catch up with them. There are survivors here and we have better chances in greater numbers" Wendy suggested as the other two nodded. The girl was right. Even if it was just a handful of cops, it was better than nothing.

Stooping low, Allyssa peered though the gap of the shutter as she tried to spot any movement. The corpse of an officer was across the floor, but a well placed bullet between the eyes lowered her fear. That one wouldn't be coming back.

"I'll go first" the blonde stated as she flipped and started to slide under the metal barrier. Her body barely fit, the breasts a small hinderance as she took a deep breath and finally moved through like a crab.

Standing up in the small office, she decided to bring out her shotgun. These hallways could be filled with the undead and the greater firepower could be needed. Looking past the desk and into the darkened hallway beyond, Allyssa saw no movement as the blonde clutched the shotgun to her bosom. Sweat dripped down her face…most likely from fear and the humidity of the tiny room. The door was flung open, spatters of blood on it as the trickle of water reached her own ears from nearby. The stench of mildew and rot lingered, but for the moment, it was safe…ish.

"It's clear" she whispered as Wendy was the next to wiggle through, her blue hair spilling across the floor as she grunted and shifted her body. A gunshot rang out nearby from the connecting corridor, making the blonde clutch her shotgun tighter. She wanted to investigate…to meet up with whoever it was, but going on alone could be hazardous to her health. Taking a deep breath before wiping the sweat from her brow, the reporter glanced back as Jill started to make her way underneath the shutter…

"Hurry!" Leon shouted to the other officer as the two stood at the end of the hallway near the shutter. He had just fired at a woman that had limped around the corner, the bullet hitting her in the shoulder as she staggered from the attack. Her feet sloshed through the cold water as she reasserted herself, the dead eyes centered on the two men as the doors to the east office's were battered from the inside. It sounded like several of the undead were trying to break down the door.

Gulping heavily as he re-aimed, Leon kept his flashlight focused on the approaching attacker as a snarled rasp escaped from her ruined throat. Firing, the flash of light illuminated the darkened hall as her head snapped back. Part of the skull cap was gone as she fell…but three more of the undead stumbled and weaved around the corner. _"Dammit! I know I heard gunshots from the other side of that shutter! If we hadn't been attacked almost immediately by some infected cops, we could have helped them!"_ Leon snarled inside his head as the other officer finally made it under the metal barrier.

"Come on!" the other police man shouted out as he extended a hand underneath the edge from the main hall.

Cursing once more as the trio of undead approached with hunger in their eyes, Leon knew that he would be quickly swarmed by them if he stayed. Crouching to the floor, the rookie officer started to move as fast as he could while the infected continued to walk unabated toward his unguarded legs. Feeling two sets of hands grab him by the shoulders, Leon was promptly dragged through the opening just as the first zombie tried to grab his boot. The snarling monster reached for him, the maw of bloody teeth snapping as the clawed hand started to pull the body under the partition.

"GAH!" he cried out just as an unknown man grasped the handle of the barricade and slammed it down, killing the ghoul with one blow as bits of brain and blood splattered over Leon's boots.

"Thanks…for helping out Elliot, Rook. Sorry your late to the…party" an older officer groaned out as he clutched a bleeding wound on his left side. He was African American with the first signs of graying hair at the temples…and Leon immediately recognized him as Marvin Branagh. The crimson liquid had soaked through the policeman's shirt, staining it a horrid red as a female officer rushed up. She was shorter with blonde hair that only reached past her ears while a holstered pistol hung on her hip.

"Marvin! You can't be moving so much with that wound!" Rita Williams scolded as the older man waved her off.

"I'm fine" the cop insisted much to the shorter woman's ire as she practically manhandled him to a nearby cot despite his protests. Leon quickly helped himself to his feet, his face a sheen of sweat and fear as his heart rate slowed. That zombie had been too close…but his sense of duty and training wouldn't allow him to ignore what he heard. Looking toward Elliot, the rookie officer surveyed the hall as his gaze passed over Claire, Cindy, and Tom standing near the front desk.

"We need to get back in there. I heard gunshots while rescuing Elliot. There could be other survivors trapped in that part of the station"

"No way. No way in hell I'm going back in there. I was almost torn apart by those things and…no…just no" Elliot replied with a shudder as he took a seat on the polished steps to the front doors. He had watched helplessly as most of his fellow officers died…turned into monsters. He…he needed a break to reassert himself.

"But if they're trapped, we ne—"

Leon was interrupted by Elliot once more, his narrower face framed by dirty, brown hair as the policeman looked him in the eye.

"You want to try, go ahead. Just remember what's on the other side of that barrier. Me? I'll stay here until we have a solid plan to escape this city" he shot back as Leon and the others stared at the metal grating to the east. It thumped and rattled, the galvanized metal slightly bending under the weight as moans of the undead could still be heard. It made their skin crawl…

Allyssa took point, the Mossburg shotgun pointed ahead of her as Wendy closely followed with her own pistol drawn. Jill was in the back, insisting that the younger woman be in the center for protection…even if she had to admit the girl was capable of defending herself. Shining the flashlight before her, Jill tried to provide a modicum of light in the hallway as nearby rasps filled her ears. The doorway to the East offices near the watch-room had been chained shut from the outside…which she hoped was enough as something thudded against the door. Her fear climbed. Jill knew from experience that some infected person was on the other side…clawing to get out.

The shouting and gunfire had ceased seconds before after a metallic **'clang'** reverberated through the hallway. Now…now it was nothing but dreadful silence as the women stepped into the cold water from the overflowing bathroom.

The reporter groaned as her socks were soaked while her shoes squelched with each step. She didn't want to know what was in this water…and promptly decided to not think about it. Taking a turn at the corner, the blonde aimed down the hallway that passed the Press Room. She knew its location…but the current environment made her forget about it as the double doors rattled.

The group halted in their track's, their eyes laced with heavy fear as brackish water flowed around their ankles. A strangled groan was heard from the other side, but Jill was the first to dismiss it.

"The doors open inwards toward the room. Unless they figure out doorknobs and back up at the same time, we should be okay" The brunette informed them as Wendy nodded.

"You better be right. I don't want my face eaten" the teenager replied as Allyssa started forward once more. Bypassing a file cabinet along the wall, the liquid sloshed around her feet as the stench of rot grew stronger.

Ashcroft swept wide around the corner, her shotgun raised on instinct as Wendy did the same with their faces contorting in surprised horror. Two of the undead were walking toward them from barely five feet away as their pale skin was reflected by Jill's flashlight.

"CRAP!" Allyssa screamed out as she pulled the trigger on instinct. Steel shot balls whizzed through the air, colliding with the chest of an unknown officer as it was turned to a horrid nightmare of torn skin and muscle. But the second zombie was mostly spared, the first blocking the blast as it moved toward Wendy.

Cocking the pump as the empty shell flew into the water, Allyssa recovered from the surprise as she re-centered on the ruined face of the monster.

'**Boom!'**

The stench of cordite assaulted her sense's along with the deafening gun blast as the head simply disappeared like an exploding watermelon. Viscera was strewn across the walls and floors as the second abomination was staggered backward from the assault of shot. Letting out an insidious groan in protest as fresh wounds covered its neck and face, the last zombie tried to realign itself before a red dot stabbed through the darkness and landed on the forehead.

The single gunshot passed easily through the brain as the threat dropped to the floor, its body partly up the small staircase as the young girl hurried forward. The double doors to the offices were bucking wildly, the wood starting to crack as the other two women followed close behind.

"HEY! OPEN UP!" Wendy screamed as she pounded on the metal, the material vibrating in the tracks.

"_I'm trying! Somebody help me!" _ a muffled voice hollered from the other side as the scuffling of feet and low shouting could be heard. The shutter groaned upward several inches, but it wasn't nearly enough.

'_**CRACK!'**_

The double doors to the detective office's broke open as five of the ghouls burst out like a rancid pustule. They immediately homed in on the three females as the lead zombie started to sway up the staircase.

"DAMMIT!" Wendy yelled as she raised her pistol. Lining up a shot with her laser sight, she fired at the closest one as Jill did the same. The zombified female officer staggered left, making Wendy miss as the bullet hit one further behind in a spray of gore. Cursing as Jill killed her target with two quick shots, the fifteen year old held her pistol tight as she tried to control her fear. _"They're way too close! Can't let them swarm us!" _She thought fearfully as beads of sweat dripped down her cheeks. Squeezing off another round, the zombie's eye exploded in a pustule of liquid gore before it dropped less than three feet away.

'Damn monsters!" Allyssa shouted as she raised her shotgun to head height as the last three continued with their drunken march toward them all. Her shotgun boomed at the closest duo, peeling away the flesh and bone in the blink of an eye as she rapidly chambered a fresh shell. The reporter fired again, killing the two with a second blast as their heads were reduced to a bloody paste of strewn chunks along the nearby wall.

The noise of the shutter raising was a groan of metal in their ringing ears, but the three females couldn't concentrate on that now as Wendy aimed at the last of the walking dead that was constantly tripping on the remains of the fallen.

'**Bang! Bang!'**

Two bullets sang out from her gun in the diminishing gloom as the shutter rose with a curse of voices, their passage ending the second life of the monster.

"Fuck it! That's enough!" Jill ordered as she turned and moved toward their salvation. It had been raised to waist height, more than enough for all of them to scurry under as the trio of females entered the brightly lit main hall.

Snapping her head back as the emergency barricade was slammed down once more, Wendy looked at the newly encountered survivors in the cavernous hall as Jill and Allyssa stood to her side with rapidly rising chests from the adrenaline spike. A quick glance rose the count of survivors to four uniformed police officers and two civilian women as the girl ran a hand through her dirty and sweaty blue locks.

"Please…please tell me you still have a helicopter out of this damn city" she simply asked the gathered survivors in the Raccoon Police Department as the first wisps of dawn started to appear outside…

**And there we go! I included a lot of new faces in this chapter! And some extra survivors! Not sure if they'll live through yet or not, but I do want a few more to survive and escape! But now, they're in the RPD and safe for the moment…and yeah…Brad got eaten lol. I was just gonna make some random survivor,but then thought…why not Brad? He's useless and a coward. And while I'm not sure, the Nemesis might make an appearance soon. I definitely want to have Birkin in this…not so much Mr. X. But, that's it for now. I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! And don't worry, I won't have this whole group travel as one. Most likely teams of 2-4 at once. Anyway…leave Reviews!**

**Marvin: So…I make an appearance…with a zombie bite already**

**Rita: Don't worry Marvin! I'm sure we can get you some help!**

**Jill: …Who's the stud? *Eye's Leon with hunger***

**Wendy: You can fuck later. Stupid bimbo's with huge tits…**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	5. Supplies

**Hello again! Sorry if it took so long to post! July has been stupidly busy with my move, my sisters wedding…15 hour work days… BUT! Luckily I am driven to keep writing my wonderfully nightmarish stories! **

**So basically…here's chapter five! I hope you enjoy it!**

**I don't own anything!**

**Chapter 5: Supplies**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 6:17 a.m.**

Leon and the other's stared at the three women in mild surprise as the first rays of sunlight shone down from a distant window. The first was a blonde woman in a burgundy pant suit that was cradling a shotgun in her hands. Smudges of ash and dirt covered the white shirt underneath her jacket as her gaze slowly danced around the room.

The second female was a brunette wearing a skirt that revealed long legs encased in boots. A blue tube top accentuated her curves while a standard issue pistol was gripped tightly in her hands. And as her chest rose and fell…all Leon could think was…stunning.

Mentally shaking his head, the rookie cop knew this was not the time to be thinking of that. There were more pressing matters as his eyes locked onto the final female. She was younger…fifteen or sixteen years old…and looked like she had been through hell.

Scratches and small cuts covered some of her face while a deadly trail of three claw marks had raked her body armor near the left shoulder. Dried blood and other spatters of gore covered her torso and legs as she lowered her gun…a serious piece of hardware that he recognized. But the most unusual thing was the bright, blue hair.

"_Must've dyed it…is she some punk? No…that doesn't matter. She's a young civilian that has somehow survived this long in a city crawling with monsters. Still…where did she get all that gear?"_ Leon asked himself as Marvin let out another groan filled with pain.

"Marvin! Please! Don't move around too much!" Rita asked in a fearful concern from nearby. Looking to Jill, the shorter blonde woman had pleading eyes.

"Jill…I'm sorry we didn't believe you this summer…please…is there anything you can do?" the female officer asked as she urged Marvin Branagh to lie down on one of the nearby cots. Blood was leaking through his uniform, leaving a splotch of sinister red as he grit his teeth.

"I'm sorry Rita…maybe if Rebecca was here. All I know is basic first aid" the brunette replied as Wendy scoffed.

"Move aside" the girl ordered as she approached the cot with the wounded officer. Crouching low, she tried to ease her features while giving a small smile to Marvin.

"How long ago were you bitten?" she asked as the others in the hall looked on with trepidation and curiosity for their fellow officer.

"Ung…just a few minutes. Th…that fat bastard Henry…was hiding a bite. Turned and went after Rita…Got me instead" He stuttered out as the younger girl nodded. Lifting up the shirt, Wendy studied the wound that was an obvious zombie bite. Ragged teeth marks had ripped some of the skin open as blood continued to flow out. Fortunately for Marvin, the bite was relatively shallow.

"_Not as bad as I thought…"_

"Little girl? Do you know what your doing?' Cindy asked with nervousness as she continued to clutch her only weapon with slender fingers while the others stood around to watch. The blue haired teenager turned to her, a no-nonsense look in her eye.

"First. Not a little girl. I'm fifteen. Second, I'm studying to become a doctor. I know how to amputate, remove bullets, stitch up wounds and a thousand other things. Essentially, I'm the most medically trained person in this room. So yes…I do know what I'm doing…um..?"

"Cindy" The blonde said quietly.

"I'm Wendy. That's Allyssa and Jill's a cop. Now…the bad news first" She told the group before looking back at Marvin.

"Shoot…" The African American man said with another groan.

"Your obviously infected with this…damn zombie virus. But the good news is the bite is very fresh and shallow. If we can get you to a hospital soon…there's a good chance I could do something about it. Maybe even cure it" she told him as her mind briefly wandered. _"If I can get to a hospital with a working lab…there is a good chance I can make a cure. I mean…Levy developed one back home and I studied it. Granted those were under…better conditions…"_

"Come on kid…don't get my hopes up…" Marvin tried to joke as Elliot came closer, his shoes clicking across the tile of the hall.

"You know Wendy…before we lost contact, Raccoon General was trying to work on something. But that's across the city near the clock tower. I doubt we would make it though. The city is crawling now" the officer informed the young woman who slowly nodded while standing up. Moving toward a bin of medical supplies, the impromptu healer started to go through what she could use to help Marvin survive. Finding a first aid spray, bandages, sterile wipes and a roll of thread with a needle, she would have to make do as she went back to her patient.

"You're not wrong…it's deadly out there" she said softly before glancing at some of the adults in the room. "I'm going to patch him up as best I can, but we need to find a way to the hospital or at least slow down the infection rate. Even if we can stop the virus for a few hours, that could be enough. So…do we have a helicopter here or what? If we do, we could just fly out of this damn city"

"No. The last pilot we have took the bird to try and find other survivors in the city. But we lost radio contact a while ago" Officer Edwards told the girl who nodded slowly. Wiping a hand through her hair, she let out a mild gasp of disappointment before returning her attention to officer Branagh.

"Your gonna have to tough it out officer. Don't have anything to numb the pain" She tried to smile and joke as Marvin just nodded.

"Too bad…could use a drink right now" he paused before looking at Rita. "Willams. Find a map of the city. Work with our new friends to try and find a way out of here. I…I know there might be a hidden passage under the station…but it might not pan out" He grunted as Wendy started to wipe away the blood. It stung…flaring his ragged nerves as the younger police woman nodded.

"Sure thing, Marvin…just don't move around too much" she tried to smile while standing up. Moving toward the front desk that once housed the receptionists for the station, Rita started to dig through some of the lower shelves. Finding what she wanted after a few minutes, she stood up with a recent map of the city. Spreading it out on the wooden desk near the closed gate to the reception area on her right, she waved some of the others over.

"Okay…some of you have been out there. If you could fill in what areas are passable or too dangerous, we could maybe find an escape route"

Claire walked up first, pointing toward the road outside the station. "Well, this should be obvious, but that burning tanker pretty much sealed that road toward the elementary school. Not too mention all the dead people right outside the front gate"

"Okay…" Rita mumbled as she used a red marker to 'X' off the roadway.

"The area near my apartment is just a nightmare crawling with those monsters. I barely made it out to a warehouse nearby. Did run into a civilian there, but he barricaded himself in a shipping container. Nothing I did made him come out" Jill offered as she pointed toward the south past several industrial warehouse's on the large map. Allyssa walked up, followed closely by Kincaid as she traced a line from her former place of work all the way to the station.

"The Apple Inn is a blazing inferno now with…these licker things. Not too mention all the barricaded streets and packs of undead. There is no way we can back track that way to the city hall. Speaking of, we have one of those fake gemstones for the sundial to unlock the gate. Might be useful if we can find the second one…and find a clear path back there" the blonde reporter told the female officer who nodded and crossed off other areas of the city.

"Hey…this road here that we passed out front? It's a side street. I think it leads to a pharmacy. And I hate to say it, but it's owned by umbrella. There could be some anti-viral medicine there?" Jill suggested as she pointed toward the narrow road half a block south from the station.

"But who would go? We barely made it here in the first place. Now we would need to get past dozens of those things at the gate" Leon pointed toward the hall doors as more sunlight started to drift through the windows.

Giving a slow nod as a pained grunt from Marvin reached her ears, Jill walked toward one of the station windows at the front of the building. Glancing at the closed off reception area to her right that was still blocked by a grate of lowered metal, the former S.T.A.R.S officer shook her head at the state of the station. _"It's no wonder why so many are dead already. Who could be prepared for a city wide zombie attack? Well…aside from Wendy. That girl seems to be ready for anything. But…why do I have a feeling she's hiding something? I can believe the story of her older sister giving her gun training…maybe the body armor. But to say she could possibly save Marvin's life before he turns? Not even fully educated doctors and scientists could do that…I'll keep an eye on her, just to be safe"_

Glancing back at the mentioned teenager, Jill watched her sterilize a needle before she started to sew Branagh's wound shut. The man let out another gasp of pain as Cindy set a comforting hand on his shoulder, trying to add a bit of help while the others discussed possible escape routes. They all looked scared…tired. And Jill really couldn't blame them at all.

Peering through the dirty window to the small courtyard, the brunette looked at the heavy gate as around two dozen of the undead grasped and reached through the heavy steel bars. It shuddered, but with the lock firmly in place along with the barricade beam, they wouldn't get through…unless they learned to climb.

"_That's a scary thought…"_

Continuing to study the outside perimeter, Jill finally noticed something that started an idea in her head. Moving quickly, she headed toward the hall doors before pulling one open. A cacophony of moans and rasps greeted her in the chilled morning dew as the gate rattled, making her skin crawl.

"Jill!? What are you doing?" Leon asked loudly as he rushed outside with his pistol gripped tightly in his hands. Claire was right behind him, her own handgun ready as the two stood on the front steps to the station. Their eyes were nervous, watching the tiny horde grow excited as Jill moved to the nearby wall with several potted plants…and gardening tools.

Ignoring the handsome rookie for the moment, Jill quickly grabbed a gardening rake before snapping off the wide end for raking leaves. The peaceful tool soon became deadly as it became a sharpened weapon of jagged wood.

"Spears…yeah. That saves us ammo" Claire quickly caught on as she sprinted forward. Snatching up some long pruning shears, the sister of Chris moved toward the right side of the gate.

"Hey handsome? Cover us, alright?" Claire lightly ordered over the jagged rasps and roaring inferno that was consuming the nearby roadway.

"Christ…fine. Just be careful" he tried to caution both as he looked to the left toward a side yard. There were body bags lined against the high wall…and a few corpses laying there. They weren't moving, but Leon wouldn't tempt fate by approaching. For all he knew, they were just waiting for some fool to walk by. Gripping his pistol tighter, he shot a quick look to the two brunettes as they got into position.

Claire looked at a zombie trying to reach her through the bars as half its skin burned with a sickening crackle. It smelled awful…a horrid rotten pork as she tried to keep down the bile.

"Jill? Is my brother here in the city?"

"No…I'm sorry Claire. He left for Europe with the surviving S.T.A.R.S. members. Aside from Brad anyway…I stayed to try and dig up something on Umbrella, but as you can see" Jill emphasized with a hand wave before centering her gaze on a man. Jabbing the impromptu spear forward, Jill could _feel_ it slide through the eye socket and into the brain. Yanking it back with a grunt, the jagged tip was a crimson red as Claire rapidly jabbed the garden shears into the half burned skull of the dead woman. Pulling them back with a startled snarl, the blades were slick with coagulated blood.

It let out a startled cry and grunt, it's final moments of un-life marked with confusion as its body slapped against the pavement littered with broken glass. As soon as it fell, another of the horde took its place, its feet stepping over the deceased like burnt garbage.

"Two down…three dozen to go" Jill tried to joke as she jabbed the broken rake forward once more to claim another undead victim.

Wendy finished sewing up the bite wound with care, her fingers sure of her work. She had used the full bottle of first aid spray after wiping away the excess blood, and had seen it bubble against the raw skin. It made her smile since that meant it fought any germs…and hopefully the infection.

"God…that fucking hurt…" Marvin said through clenched teeth as the blue haired girl looked over at Cindy.

"I need your help standing him up. Have to wrap his chest" she instructed while holding onto a roll of medical gauze.

"Oh…sure" Cindy said in an almost whisper as the blood on her shirt started to dry. Sidling an arm underneath the policeman, she lifted with her legs as Marvin let out another small gasp of light anguish.

"Okay. Just stay still. It'll be over in a minute" she tried to reassure the man as she started to dress and bind the wound. True to her word, it was done in moments as the gauze stuck to his darker skin.

"How do you feel, Marvin?" Rita asked as the man slowly lowered his bloody and torn shirt.

"Hurts like hell…but at least I'm not bleeding everywhere"

Slowly easing himself back down onto a cot, he gave a small nod to the blue haired girl as Jill, Claire and Leon walked back into the front hall.

"Thanks for that. Don't know if it will help, but it's better than bleeding out" he told Wendy as the rest of the survivors gathered around his cot.

"Sir? What's the plan?" Leon asked, his blue eyes searching for answers in the hell he found himself in. His training had him automatically deferring to the experienced police lieutenant.

Cradling his side that…still hurt like a son of a bitch, the senior surviving member of the Raccoon Police Department looked at all of them in turn. _"Six officers…four civilians including myself. One's not even an adult while Cindy looks like she hasn't held a gun in her life. One's a rookie…Elliot's scared shitless, but then…so am I. Jill and Allyssa look like they can handle themselves while Rita was mainly on the radio or reception. Claire…if she's anything like her brother, she might make it through this. And…an Arklay Deputy who's looking just as terrified and stressed out. Dammit"_

"Okay. The way I see it, we have a few objectives. The first is securing an escape route. Elliot, you work with Tom and Rita to find those damn medallions in that notebook" Giving a slight pause as he pursed his lips, the disheveled man looked at Allyssa.

"The station was rapidly overrun, which means there could be supplies to gather. If you can find the keycard to the armory, there could still be weapons and ammunition to obtain. Your packing some firepower and were already on the streets. Wendy will go with you" he ordered as his gaze finally set on Leon, Claire and Jill.

"I…I can't order you to try some supply run to that pharmacy. It could be a death sentence out there" he finished as Wendy stepped forward.

"No offense, but I should go. I know what kind of supplies to look for"

"No way" Jill rapidly shook her head as she looked at the bloodied and dirty girl before starting to explain. "Before we were just trying to get here in one piece, but you claim to be the only person here with any medical training…and a possible knowledge of this damned virus" _"And if you do…there's a good chance you work for Umbrella…"_ Jill rapidly thought with suspicion as she continued to speak. "We simply cannot risk your life going back out there unless absolutely necessary. I'll take Leon and Claire as back-up. It's a short distance and hopefully a clear path"

"…Fine" the blunette relented as Marvin nodded.

"Alright. We have a plan for now. Cindy can stay here since she doesn't have a firearm…and to keep an eye on me if I start to turn"

"Okay. You heard the lieutenant. Let's find those medallions" Rita told her small group as she headed up the staircase to the second floor with Elliot and Tom following close behind. She took a quick look at the statue of a woman holding a water vase and the first medallion found, it's bronze surface reflecting in the morning light. Turning at the top of the stairs, the shorter police woman moved along the bannister lined pathway toward the chiefs office.

"We'll check out the East side of the second floor first" Rita instructed the two men as they approached the wooden door. Turning one last time to look down at her companions in the main hall, Rita tried to stifle her fear of the unknown. Steeling her nerve, she pushed the door open as Tom and Elliot quickly moved in with guns raised.

Watching the three disappear into the upper office, Leon returned his attention to Jill as she double checked her firearm one final time.

"Let's hurry. The front gate is clear but we don't know for how long" Jill ordered as she turned and headed toward the double doors. Quick assents of agreement from Leon and Claire had them both moving, their weapons gripped tight. The echoing thud of the front doors closing seconds later cast the hall in a somber silence as Marvin slowly stood up.

Walking past the three remaining women in the cavernous hall, he approached the breaker box for the shutter leading to the reception area of the west wing. It was taped shut while a personal defense knife was resting on top of the grayish container. It was quickly used to cut open the tape as Marvin rapidly flipped a power switch inside. A squeal of rolling metal had it rising up, opening the passage to the waiting room as he made his way back to the cot.

"There…stay safe" he let out a pained groan as Wendy and Allyssa nodded. Readying their weapons, both women moved past the chairs and benches to leave Cindy and Marvin alone in the hall…

Leon tried to silently close the front gate as he tried to maintain his footing among the pile of corpses Claire and Jill had taken care of just minutes before. The whole thing had been…disturbing. Former people just walking forward to be impaled through the head with no sense of danger at all. Now…morning dew was covering the exposed and pale skin he could see as he cast his gaze toward the burning inferno of the fuel tanker. Billows of smoke poured into the slightly cloudy sky as the sun tried to climb higher and higher into the azure blue above. And if he squinted his eyes, the rookie was sure there were still some charred bodies walking around in the flames.

A gust of wind pushed the stench of charred flesh toward him and the others, making him blanch and cough.

"Quick. We have to move" Jill ordered as she stepped forward onto the trash strewn road. Taking point, her breath sent a cloud of frozen particles through the morning air that was filled with a chill. Walking past several abandoned cars, the STARS survivor kept a sharp eye out for anything that could jump out and attack the group. But aside from the sound of a burning fuel tanker and the distant moans of undead, there was nothing.

"There. I think that's the route Rita told us about" Claire pointed out toward a wider alley between two buildings. But what had once been a pathway for shoppers and pedestrians was now a refuse strewn alley as sunlight tried to break in between the buildings.

Inching his foot forward, Leon accidentally kicked a discarded can across the pavement, its rattle ringing in his ears as he pointed his gun down the alleyway. Several garbage bins rested along the brick walls while the spatter of blood dried near a window. A rotting hand lay nearby, its owner nowhere to be found as the ragged stump left torn shreds of skin.

Gulping lightly, Leon scanned further, but saw no threats as he lightly lowered his arms from a shooting pose.

"Okay…it looks clear"

"My hero. Protecting the vulnerable women from a dirty alley that we could both clearly see" Jill said in a teasing tone with her lips pulled up into a smirk. Claire chuckled as she walked past Leon, the man just letting out a weary sigh.

"Such a man…" the Redfield woman smirked as her grin soon faded. It was a little joke, but anything could be out here as she pointed her snub-nosed revolver downward.

"Just being cautious…" He mumbled as the three moved on, their firearms still gripped tight. Shoes and boots clicked and shuffled along the pavement, the trio opting for silence. A rattle of a window had all three snapping their guns upward toward the third level of the building on their right, their hearts pumping a little faster.

"Trapped zombie" Claire observed as the said creature batted a bloody palm against the glass above. The pane shook…but nothing else happened as the three adults quickly moved on down the alleyway. It soon forked, the second path leading south past several piles of spilt garbage and a wall fire main marked with flecks of rust.

Jill shrugged and moved on. Nothing lay that way and Marvin needed them to hurry. They quickly moved on from the alleyway fork, their footsteps echoing off the walls as the sun rose higher into the sky. Reaching the end minutes later, Jill braced herself against the brick wall on her left as the other two others stacked up behind her.

The pharmacy was right across the one way street, its windows shuttered as a compact car had crashed against the wall while other vehicles had created a pile up behind it. The driver's door was flung open, broken and shattered glass on the upholstered seat as dried blood could easily be seen. A zombified man was still buckled into the passenger side as a ragged piece of glass stuck out of his throat while dried blood ran down his shirt. His moan of hunger reached them as his hands tried to reach, but the monster had no contemplation on how to free itself…so it continued to reach with no success.

Ignoring the hungry gasps and snarls from the brown vehicle, Jill scanned past the pile of wrecks toward her south. A large truck had crashed across the narrow road, its mass almost blocking the entranceway to the pharmacy as six or seven of the infected had gathered on the other side. They were all in various states of damage with torn or missing skin from bites, but none could make it past the wreckage toward them. Essentially, the area around the pharmacy building had been sealed off except the way they had come.

"Okay. Move quickly. The less we rile them up the better" Jill ordered as she moved from cover. Black boots crunched more broken glass as she ran, drawing the attention of a zombified woman on the other side of the trucks crumpled hood. She gasped and moaned with hunger as she bumped into the twisted metal wedged against the corner of the building. The policewoman ignored the infected stare of the group, flinging the glass door of the building open as she stepped inside.

Following Jill, Claire moved in past the counter with her gun raised as Leon did the same. The store was a mess as a massive pool of sticky blood covered the tiled linoleum near the counter. Scattered medicines of all kinds littered the area between aisles as one of the shelves had completely tipped over. Packages were ripped open as aspirin tablets crunched underneath Leon's shoes. The young police man had moved to the back, checking each aisle for any threats to himself or the others. A small bathroom was tucked into the rear corner of the building, but spatters of dried blood leading inside told the male all he needed to know. Reaching the last row near the rear of the store moments later, he slowly lowered his pistol as no monsters lurked.

"Shit. Look at this place. It's been completely looted" Leon stated as he tried to ignore the moans of pained hunger coming from the undead outside. They couldn't get to them…at least he hoped not as Claire moved behind the counter.

"Found a backpack" The college girl pointed out as she quickly slung it over her shoulders and biker vest. It had been empty, but it would make carrying things easier as she readjusted the straps.

"Good" Jill complimented as she moved further into the store. _"Dammit…Leon's right. This place has been trashed…"_ She started to think as she moved past a cooler near the door to the rear of the building. A few bottles of water still sat unopened inside while a snack display held some candy bars left untouched.

"Claire. Grab all that. We don't know when we'll find food or clean water again" She ordered with a pointed finger.

"Sure thing, boss lady" she snarked back with a grin as Leon and Jill moved to the only other door in the building. Leon gripped the doorknob, his fingers slightly sweaty as he kept his gun ready. Glancing at Jill with tense eyes, she gave him a nod as the handsome rookie pushed it open. Rushing into the hallway with his gun raised, Leon pointed into pitch black as Jill covered him.

It was dark…extremely dark. And it smelled horrible. Something akin to burning garbage feces in a blender on a hot day. A florescent ceiling light flickered, briefly illuminating the hallway lined with dozens of products…that were covered by some sort of insect webbing. At the end of the hallway was a burning red light, but all it seemed to do was cast the passage into a blood red nightmare.

"Ugh…that's bad" Jill admitted as she forced herself not to gag from the horrid stench. Doing her best to breathe through her mouth as they turned on their flashlights, she just tried to stay calm despite the fear climbing her spine. This storage hallway…was making her instincts scream to run…but she couldn't do that yet.

Leon put on his best brave face as he slowly walked forward past bottles of medical supplies with his gun raised as the beam of his and Jill's flashlights pierced the darkness beyond. It was stifling for him as the cone of light wavered and flicked over random surfaces during their slow advance.

'_Click' 'Click' 'Click'_

Both of them froze, their muscles tensing as the new sound reached their ears. Swinging the beams of light back and forth, neither of them saw anything…until Leon felt something patter and drip onto his left shoulder. Reaching his hand up, it came away sticky and covered with something clear as horrid realization kicked in.

"ABOVE US!" Leon shouted out as he raised his gun toward the ceiling. Both their beams revealed the threat as Jill tried to contemplate what it was. Eight legs…but not a spider. Its outer flesh was a sickly, pus yellow with bunches of gray hairs sticking out from hardened joints. Each leg ended in deadly claws as two pairs of bulbous black eyes looked at them both. Its mouth opened, drooling more saliva to the floor as long proboscis slowly slid out with a sinister hiss.

It was a monstrosity that shouldn't exist…that should have never walked the earth…but here it was right above them. Then… it jumped toward the rookie cop. Leon fired, the bullet going high and winging its right shoulder, causing a small explosion of yellowed blood to fly. But it wasn't enough to stop its momentum as Leon was tackled to the ground, its weight a crushing sensation as his lungs expelled air from the hard blow.

"CLAIRE! I NEED YOUR HELP!" Jill screamed out toward the main store as she aimed and fired in the darkness. The pistol discharged a flash of light and lead, but the monster had shifted itself on top of the struggling Leon. The round pierced its flank between the second and third legs, initiating an irritant sound from it. Raising a limb, it extended in a swing as it collided with Jill's midsection.

"UNGH!" She cried out before she went flying against a shelving unit. Her abdominals flared from the blow as her breath was knocked out of her. Sliding to the floor with a grunt as a few toiletries landed on her, she groggily turned her head as Claire came running into he darkened hall with a shaft of light pouring from the doorway.

"Oh…Oh god…" Claire gulped as she finally saw the form of the monster under flickering lights. Leon was struggling…fighting to keep its mandibles and whatever else away when a crash of broken glass resonated from the front of the pharmacy near the counter. Spinning on her heel as she raised her gun, Claire groaned at how unfair this situation was.

The small horde that had been blocked by the truck…weren't blocked anymore. It looks like they had started to just crawl underneath the vehicle and made a direct beeline to the building holding three uninfected humans. The first one stumbled through the broken pane of glass in the door, its chest a mess of ribbon skin as it let out a pitiful moan.

"Dammit!" Claire hissed as the situation went from bad to worse in a split second. Lining up her Smith and Wesson with the forehead of the closest threat, Claire fired. Its head snapped back, the bullet burrowing through its forehead in a splay of spattered gore as it fell to the ground. Shifting her aim toward a zombified woman as she rasped from a torn throat, Claire fired again.

"Shit!" She cursed as the target shifted over to the left, being missed completely as more of the zombies started to make their way into the store. Claire couldn't fight them all. She would need to reload first and then she would be done. Grabbing the storage room door, she flung it shut before her fingers fumbled with the lock. Being thrown into darkness, she slowly backed away as Leon struggled against his aggressor.

"Ung…grah…shit!" Leon cursed as he ignored the rivulet of monster slime working its way down his cheek. His left arm was straining like fire, just keeping the nightmare away as its extended proboscis slowly inched toward his head. His right hand still gripped his gun, but it was pinned under one of its legs as putrid breath made him gag. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jill stand up as the ceiling light flickered on once more like a sinister strobe light.

Valentine shook her head as her core muscles cried in protest. That limb had been a heavy blow, like taking a prize fighters punch to the gut. But she couldn't just stand there as Leon was struggling for his life on the floor. The ceiling light pulsed on, casting the struggle in a renewed nightmare as the monster raked a clawed hand across Leon's police armor. It tore through the 'R' of the initials, leaving two wide scars in the material. He was lucky to be wearing it as Jill sprang into action despite the dull throbbing along her right side.

"HNGG!" Jill let out with a shout as she kicked the creature in the flank, loosening its hold just enough for Leon to move his gun arm. Bringing it up, the rookie decided not to read the bug monster it's rights. Pointing the firearm right in its mouth near the base of the stabbing shaft, Leon squeezed the trigger…three times. Yellowish…pus gore spattered in his hair and on his uniform as it writhed and died, the bullets passage destroying its brain. It collapsed on the handsome man, some splatters of gore covering his chest as the horrid smell made him want to hurl.

"Ungh…I feel so gross right now. Damn thing tried to suck my brains out" Leon groaned out as the door to the front rattled. Trying to lift the dead monster off of him, the man struggled with the weight as he tried to catch his breath. Redfield moved to help him, her eyes fearful as the door rattled against the dead outside.

"No time for jokes! We need to fight!" Claire said loudly while helping the man to his feet. Jill was already in a firing stance, her flashlight casting a cone of illumination down the hallway as the other two took combative stances as well. The door bucked again. The dreadful sound of hungry rasps making the three grip weapons tighter as the ceiling light flickered once more.

The door frame finally broke after a minute of battering as the undead came onward. Jill fired first, hitting a throat-less woman in the side of the head as she spun and collapsed. Five more came onwards, their shoes and boots shambling as their infected eyes were drawn to the succulent flesh within reach.

"Seriously…fuck this day" Claire told her two comrades as she fired, killing a former man as Leon and Jill picked targets. Their gunfire was accurate despite the poor lighting, the remaining three zombies killed by an additional five shots between the two cops in a matter of seconds.

Breathing a sigh of relief as a casing rattled against the floor, Jill turned away from the pile of corpses and the…brain sucker to continue their search. Looking at Leon, the man's hands were shaking slightly as ichor dripped from his hair. Moving to his side, she set a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he looked her way.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…yeah…just that thing. I mean…what the hell was that?" he asked…and Jill really didn't have an answer.

"A monster. And you did a great job keeping a level head. Now let's search this place and get back to the station Leon"

Straightening his back, Leon nodded as they moved toward the back of the storage room. It was still horribly dark, but their flashlights did the job of casting more illumination. Soon they reached the red light that was actually part of a lock for a metal cabinet set in the wall. A simple card scanner was set near the crimson bulb as it hummed silently.

To their left in a small alcove was an office desk as a wave of stench rose from the chair. Sitting there was an older woman, maggots climbing over her skin while a self inflicted gunshot wound decorated her temple. A ragged bite was on her left arm while her right hand held a revolver that hung limply in decaying fingers.

"Guess she didn't want to turn. Can't really blame her" Claire mentioned as Leon moved closer to the desk. The smell was still awful…but had to be dealt with in the flickering darkness as the two women kept a lookout.

Shining a light on the deceased, Leon gulped as he reached for the gun. Sliding it out of the dead fingers, a quick check revealed it was still mostly full as he handed it to Claire. Shining his light on the desk, Leon gave a small grin as a box of .38 rounds sat near the computer…along with a keycard.

"Claire. Some ammunition for you" watching as the woman grabbed the orange box and slid it into her pocket, Leon moved past her toward Jill. Showing the keycard, he mentally crossed his fingers as he slid it in the lock.

'_Click'_

The light turned green as Jill quickly grabbed the handle and pulled open the cabinet. Her face lightly lit up at the contents as the other two gathered around.

"There we go" She said with a modicum of relief as she reached inside. A white box of antiviral pills with the umbrella logo was quickly taken and slid into her side pouch before she reached in again. _"Don't know why the owner had a full box of 9mm in here, but I'm not complaining. Still…don't like relying on Umbrella medicine"_ she mentally complained but knew that Marvin's life depended on this stuff. One last look revealed a bottle of motor oil…and Jill grabbed it.

"Really? Motor Oil?" Claire asked as Jill placed it in the backpack with the other supplies.

"You never know. That mansion with your brother was filled with insane puzzles and traps. Anything could be useful in the future" She reminded Claire who could see the logic in it.

"Whatever. Let's just get back to the station" the biker woman plainly said as the group finally started to leave the nightmarish pharmacy to return to the police station…

Rita, Tom and Elliot stood in the small waiting room that would lead toward the second floor East hallway. It had been completely deserted and devoid of anything useful with the exception of a small green plant on the small desk. The three ignored it, since the darn things were everywhere in Raccoon City.

"_Maybe I'll grab it on the way back. I heard they have healing properties"_ Rita told herself as Elliot thumbed through his little notebook for clues about the medallions.

"Let's see…I already placed the one in the main hall, so that's one down. I know the Unicorn medal is past the library in that weird lounge, but the third…I don't know where that one is. But if it's artwork, it might be in Iron's art room"

"Art room? He's a police chief right? How can he afford a whole art room?" officer Kincaid asked in disbelief as Elliot closed the booklet and placed it in a back pocket.

"Honestly? Many in the station think he's secretly wealthy…or a dirty cop. But no investigations found anything. That was a few years ago too. If he's taking bribes, nobody can prove it. But that's really not my concern with him…he always stared at me. Or Jill…or any of the other women in the station. Like he was undressing me in plain sight. He makes my skin crawl more than those zombies outside" Rita explained as Tom moved toward the further door with his pistol drawn.

"Is he still alive? In the station?"

"We don't know. As soon as all this crap started to happen, he disappeared into his office and closed the shutter. He could have fled or just sitting among his trophies" Elliot told the Arklay Sheriff who gave an assenting nod.

"_I'll have to watch out for Irons. Sounds like serious red flags for somebody leading a police force…and a coward"_

"Okay. If he's still alive, we'll try to help him…if we encounter him. But right now, lets see what we can find" Tom finished as he slowly turned the doorknob. The hinges creaked as the wooden door swung open as the sheriff moved into the hallway. The others quickly followed, taking positions in the hall as a distant rasp resonated from their north.

Elliot tried to stay calm, his palms sweaty as he looked down the lit hallway toward the distant fire exit. The wooden hallway turned to their left, hiding whatever was behind the corner as it would eventually lead to the helipad. Another rasp made him refocus as a sliver of movement appeared around the corner. "Come out!" he shouted as the other two survivors of the R.P.D raised their weapons. A startled groan greeted them before the shuffling of movement revealed an infected policeman as he swung around the corner. A knife was sticking out of its chest, the blood an ichor among the ruined uniform as he stumbled and staggered forward. Part of the shoulder was missing, a ragged chunk of torn sinew and bloody muscle as Rita gulped.

"Oh no…Ryan" She whispered as Tom raised his firearm further. The zombie continued to walk, quickly closing the distance before Kincaid fired. The report made Rita jump in the enclosed hallway…and Tom cursed as the bullet tore a piece of throat muscle away in a small spray of gore. The knife lodged loose, clattering to the floorboards as the smell of cordite and rotting flesh loomed.

"Damn…hit the throat" He lightly stated as he re-centered his aim on the infected. Firing again, his second shot hit the mark as a new hole appeared in the left eye with a tiny explosion of fluidic gore. Falling in a heap, Tom and the other's lowered their guns as silence took over the sunlight hallway.

"Sorry about your friend"

"No…it's okay. I'm sure he'd be glad to be put out of his misery…" Rita lightly replied as she turned toward the art room door. Opening it slowly, the hinges creaked with rust as she stepped into the room. It was deserted. No monsters or strange statues, just pieces of art covered with dusty tarps. A pamphlet to the Raccoon City Zoo sat on a crate, but it was old and dusty. Stepping further inside, she looked at a painting that made her crinkle her face in disgust. It depicted a nude woman being hanged while onlookers cheered in an eighteenth century town.

"How could that even be art? It's vile" She lamented silently before exiting the storage room with light footsteps.

Elliot had approached Ryan Nest's corpse, his face a contortion of sorrow for his fallen officer. Glancing back as Rita exited the art room, he felt a twinge of pity for the younger woman as she and Thomas Kincaid checked the hallway near Iron's office. Crouching down as his knees lightly popped, Elliot felt guilty, but he needed ammunition. Starting to pat the rotting corpse down, he found the pistol gone from the holster…but not a spare clip. Taking it for himself, Elliot slid the magazine into his own belt pouch as he stood up.

"Thanks Ryan. Sorry this happened to you, but I need the ammo" Elliot tried to apologize as Rita and Tom quickly returned.

"It was a dead end. Shutter's down and we can't raise it. There's nothing in this hallway" Tom reported as Elliot nodded in understanding.

"I found some ammunition on Ryan's body. I know it's wrong to loot our dead officers, but it could mean the difference between life and death"

"I guess so…doesn't mean I have to like it" the blonde woman whispered as she walked forward. "We should check the roof. We might be able to signal the helicopter if it's nearby"

"Good idea. Our radio's might be in range outside" Tom agreed as the three survivors started down the hallway. Turning at the corner near the fire escape, nothing moved except the shafts of sunlight pouring through the windows. Distant craws of crows could be heard over the moans of distant undead…along with a random gunshot or two. It made them all feel horrible. Their job was to protect the public…and they couldn't do anything except try to survive in their own station.

"Dammit…some cop I am" Elliot murmured as he walked through a shaft of light, his position on point as a horrid scream resonated from a distant street. _"Whoever that was…no way to help them now…"_ he lamented as the wooden floorboards creaked under his weight. The screaming was abruptly cut off, making him slightly shudder at the implications.

"I hope whoever that was is okay…" Rita spoke with a hollow tone. They all knew it wasn't true, but there was nothing they could do. The city was overrun with horror and monsters…and there were all lucky to still be alive.

They reached the end of the corridor soon as Elliot and Tom moved through the metal door, guns raised in a protective manner. Walking onto the concrete slab that was the helipad, the three humans looked around as sunlight cascaded down from a crisp, October morning. It could almost be considered refreshing…if it wasn't for the constant moaning of the undead in their city. The fire escape to the third floor was directly across the concrete slab of the roof as pipes for water and gas ran up the side of the building nearby. All in all…it was deserted.

Looking at the buildings around them, Tom grimaced as fires burned out of control in distant parts of the city. Some were small, just taking up the corner of a building while others were completely devastating.

"Hello? Can anybody hear me?" Rita asked into her radio, her hopes high before they were dashed with a crackle of static. If the helicopter was still airborne, it wasn't receiving.

"Dammit!" The short woman cursed as she clipped it back to her shoulder.

"The pilot could just be out of ra—" Thomas Kincaid started to say before he was interrupted.

'_**THUD!'**_

The metallic staircase to the lower courtyard to the maintenance sheds rattled and vibrated, shaking them all as something large and heavy seemed to come out of nowhere. Running forward, all three peered over the galvanized steel railing…and their blood ran cold. Standing near the fencing by the boiler room as a few infected weaved back and forth was something from a nightmare.

It was humanoid, but any semblance to a man was quickly forgotten as they took in its appearance in an instant. A bald, scarred head with stitches over its right eye made it look sinister as a lipless mouth snarled. Purple tubes of something organic ran from its right shoulder into its neck and back, each moment making them pulsate like diseased vines. A heavy, black trench coat covered its body to its heavy boots, and even that looked menacing as it stood almost eight feet tall. One of the zombies moved too close, drawn by the noise…and was simply backhanded by a powerful fist as the newest nightmare sent it flying into the nearby wall with a sickening crunch and thud. The sound of bones breaking could be heard from here…and the trio of humans knew…they knew on an instinctual level this thing was…_evil._

'S.T.A.R.S…." it rasped with a voice laced with desolation as it took heavy step forward, which spurned the three into action.

"Quickly! To the fire escape!" Elliot whispered in a panic as he turned and started running. Fear and sweat were emanating off of them all as their shoes slapped against the concrete. The thudding grew louder as Rita reached the ladder first. Gripping the first rung, she climbed like she had never climbed before. Her heart beat with terror with each gripping step as the two men below barely waited for her ascent. Reaching the top of the ladder, she swung onto the small patio before sliding onto her belly and peeking over the edge.

"Shit…shit! shit! shit!" Tom said in a panicked whisper as the first echoes of heavy boots on the courtyard staircase grew louder. Looking up as Elliot swung his feet over the lip of the third floor platform, Kincaid saw the sheer…_terror_ in the man's eyes. Reaching the last rung, the Arklay sheriff was practically hauled up by his belt as Elliot pushed him down near Rita at the edge.

"Stay down and don't move!' Elliot hissed out as all three humans held their breaths. They had made it to their hiding place just in time as this trench coat wearing monster finished its slow stair climb to the helicopter pad. It looked around slowly…its one eye scanning the area as the trio didn't dare to breathe.

"_Please don't find us…please don't find us…" _Rita prayed as her heart beat with unsurmountable fear and dread.

"STARS…" It rasped out, the voice like satan himself as the three pairs of eyes watched with sweat trickling down their backs.

It turned, coiling its legs in a crouch as it looked at the police stations clock tower. In a show of power that no human could match, it jumped fifteen feet into the air before embeddings its large hands into the side of the station. Shards of brick and mortar fell as it climbed, it's muscles coiling with each movement as it made its way strait up the building. Reaching the apex of the roof, it disappeared from sight as the trio let out a much needed breath of air.

"Holy shit! Wh…what in the hell was that!?" Elliot asked as his voice was laced with panic and untold fear and stress.

"I dunno…but it said STARS…it might be trying to find Jill!" Rita shouted in fear for the fellow female officer currently on a medicine run in the city.

"If it is…we really need to hurry. We have to find those medallions and get out of here" Kincaid told his companions as he slowly stood up. Looking at the spot where the newest horror had disappeared, he prayed with everything he had that it would move on and leave them alone. But with their luck…he doubted it would happen. Stifling one last gulp, he turned to the lone door as he readied his pistol.

"Let's go. We need to find those two medallions and escape" And with that, he opened the way into this never-ending nightmare as his two fellow officers followed close behind to face their fears.

**And boom! Chapter five done! I originally wanted to put more Wendy and Allyssa, but the others should have their moments too. But with the Nemesis making an appearance…things could get…problematic. Especially for Jill! The next chapter will concentrate on Wendy and Allyssa some more as they all try to survive and escape!**

**By the way, next chapter will be the COG! So keep a lookout for that! Also…my sister got married to a really great guy! So that was an exciting weekend! Just wanted to mention that lol**

**Anyway…Read and Review!**

**Wendy: Hey…did you hear that?**

**Allyssa: Hear what?**

**Nemesis: STARS!**

**Wendy: NO! YOU DON'T MEET US YET!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	6. Nemesis

**Hey everybody! I'm back with another chapter of the survival horror! First, I'm sure you've noticed this story being moved to the crossover section. The reason why is…well….this story doesn't get a lot of traffic so I'm hoping by moving it more people will notice. And if not, no harm done. Also, some have asked me if Wendy will be staying in the universe for multiple games. The answer is no. Wendy will just survive Raccoon city and that's it.**

**But….that's about it for news. I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter and leave a review! Or enjoy it at least!**

**I don't own any media anywhere.**

**Chapter 6: Nemesis**

* * *

**The R.P.D. Two minutes after Jill, Leon, and Claire leave the station**

The waiting area had been devoid of anything useful. Only a few rows of seats along the wall and outdated magazines on a coffee table decorated the room as Allyssa and Wendy moved through. The window on their right gave a view of the darkened offices to the west wing, presumably where Rita and Marvin had been hiding out. A bloody handprint had streaked across the glass, but nothing else would be considered amiss.

The duo of females approached the next door as the reporter clutched her shotgun while Wendy kept her trusty pistol pointed at the floor. Glancing down, the younger girl saw a few speckles of blood on the tile. It was dried…already darkening as the teenager steadied herself.

"Ready?"

"As ready as I can be" Wendy replied as she slowly pushed the wooden door open with Allyssa covering her. They poured into the hallway…and the change in atmosphere wasn't lost on either.

The hallway was a mess of scattered papers and files, the loose parchment laying on the floor as darkness along the right fought against the rays of morning sunlight pouring through the windows on their left. Spatters of blood on the distant wall painted a grisly picture while a damaged florescent light flickered above.

"Good thing it's daytime…I'd hate to walk through this at night" the reporter commented as both women started to walk forward with caution.

"No shit" Wendy agreed as they walked past a hallway to their right. It was barricaded, a mess of chairs, tables and other furniture that had only slowed down the evil in the station.

"_Kssshk..crackle…This is…ksshk"_

The sound of a radio punched through the air spurned both women forward toward the corner of the hallway as they moved past several windows boarded up. The shafts of light burned through, giving it a mixture of sinister and warm as both approached the body leaning against the wall. It was a dead officer, the radio unit still attached to his chest as the communications device continued to crackle and hiss.

"_Kshkkk…Rac…n…one. Two…sur…ors…low on fu..l"_

The radio petered out, the battery finally dying as Wendy tried to reach for it in the hopes of gleaning more. Her actions made the head roll her way from the disturbance, inciting more fear. The face had been opened up, the jaw barely attached by strands of sinew and muscle as milky, dead eyes seemed to reflect in the light.

"GAH!" Wendy cried out as she back pedaled from the deceased, her heart thumping from the sight. Scrambling to her feet with Allyssa's help, the fifteen year old pointed her pistol at the body.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…I thought it moved. Fuck…" the girl replied as she ran a hand through her blue hair. Looking at her friend as her breathing slowed down, the girl just shook her head once more.

"Was that the R.P.D. helicopter? It sounded like it was heading toward the roof"

"Maybe. It was so garbled that I couldn't tell" Wendy replied as both women looked further down the hallway they had to traverse….and their fear grew.

Another body was hanging from a pipe in the ceiling, the corpse just weaving back and forth as dried blood covered the blue uniform. The smell was of decay, filling their nostrils and senses with each breath. _"What the hell could've done that!?" _Allyssa silently asked herself as they moved past the swinging corpse with baited breath.

Clutching her shotgun, the blonde slowly moved toward the next section of the hallway as Wendy took up the rear. She knew the girl would cover her, but still…she couldn't believe her life had come to this point. Of searching for supplies in the police station while fighting off horrific monsters.

The reporter moved past the threshold in the hallway as a startled moan and rasp of hunger echoed into her veins. A zombified construction worker had been standing right out of view, but it knew she was there now. It lunged from five feet away, the mouth full of hungry teeth baying for her flesh as she instinctively raised the Mossberg.

'_**Boom!'**_

It echoed in the narrow hallway, drumming both women's ears as the stench of cordite was overwhelmed by the squelch of the former human's head exploding. Scattered brain matter splattered the walls as the construction worker fell like a rotten sack.

More groans of hunger and rasps of the infected grabbed her attention as two more of the living dead tried to climb through a hallway window amid streams of light. Their faces were a mess of torn flesh and horrid bites as their gnarled fingers tried to grab them both from a short distance away.

"FUCK IT! SAVE YOUR AMMO!" Wendy cried out as she ran past, her footsteps heavy as Allyssa quickly followed. One of the dead grasped for her, the rotten fingers brushing her burgundy coat as the blonde ran to the end of the hall with the girl leading.

Wendy rounded the corner and skidded to a halt as a zombified female blocked their advance. The undead lunged, its clammy hands grasping onto Wendy's shoulders as the girl fell backward. _"STUPID! I SHOULDN'TVE RAN!"_ were her panicked thoughts as she was quickly pinned under the zombie.

"Grah!" she cried out as she barely managed to get a hand around the infected woman's throat. It's putrid breath washed over her flesh, wanting to make her gag as the snapping teeth sought her cheek._ "Dammit! I can't reach my gun!"_ The teenager thought with horror as her other arm was pinned underneath. It was taking all her strength just to keep it from tearing her skin away.

"WENDY!" Allyssa cried out as the first undead behind them collapsed to the floor inside the hallway. Running forward, the reporter flipped her shotgun around and raised the butt of the weapon. She smashed it into the skull, creating a resounding 'crack' but it wasn't enough as the corpse continued to try and tear at Wendy's face. Its teeth came within an inch as the young girl barely managed to keep it away with horror in her eyes.

"HIT IT AGAIN!" the blunette screamed out as her friend complied. A second blow caved in part of its skull as it loosened It's grip on the girl who finally managed to raised her pistol arm. Jamming it into the rancid mouth, she squeezed the trigger as a muffled gunshot resounded through the hall. The top of the skull blew out, spattering some speckles of gore on the girl who pushed the body off with a rapid roll of her hips and legs.

"In here!" Allyssa cried out as she practically pulled and yanked Wendy toward the double doors nearby. The hallway behind them now had three of the dead marching forward, moaning for their warm flesh as they dragged their feet. Another of the rotting corpses was at a nearby window, the arms pushing through barricaded boards as the skin tore away. The planks were cracking under the pressure as it moaned from the outside while the infected hands reached for them both. Pushing the doors open, the reporter and teenager slammed them shut behind them…but they knew those freaks would be here in seconds.

"Dammit…fucking stupid Wendy…" the girl told herself in anger as she looked around the room. It was dark, but not enough to make it dangerous as several desks were strewn about. A distant whiteboard with assignments for patrol officers made it clear this was the operations room. A second door was to the right of the assignment board…with a heavy chain and padlock as both women scowled.

"Not your fault. You couldn't have known there was another lurking there. Now help me barricade this door" Allyssa commented as she started to drag and manhandle some desks toward the entrance. Wendy lent her efforts, the teens face still contorted in fear at the close call as they made a hasty barricade. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would buy critical seconds for them both as the scrapping resonated across the tile. They moved as many as they could in the time they had.

Taking a shaky breath, Allyssa scanned the room for anything useful as Wendy did the same. It was mostly paperwork and reports of police actions before the disaster. A spilled cup of coffee dripped onto the tile floor near a familiar red box as the reporter quickly scooped up the spare ammunition. A rapid movement of fingers revealed the contents as the older woman turned to her young friend.

"Eight bullets…here you go kid" the blonde said as she tossed the box of 9mm bullets to her partner….just as the door buckled. Rasps and scratching could be heard by both…and they were trapped.

"Shit…shit!" Wendy said with an angry curse as she looked around for anything they could use. But there was nothing except a shaft of light coming from the corner…she spun, her eyes wide as the girl looked at the small inner office window near the ceiling. Situated below a stack of folding tables, it could be their salvation for now.

"Over here! Hurry!" Wendy shouted out as the double doors bucked again. Fingers were poking through now, and the moans of the dead insidious. Climbing onto the tables, Wendy tried to jump toward the window…and missed. "Damn shortness…"

"I'll boost you" Allyssa said evenly while she crouched down on the tables with her friend. Presenting interlocked hands, the blonde grunted as the heavy boot pressed against her skin. Lifting up, she saw Wendy grip the sill of the window as she poked her head through.

The hallway was clear except for a corpse nearby…but it wouldn't be moving again after loosing its head. Resting near another barricade of furniture and debris, the fifteen year old could take one guess where it led. Looking the other way, the hallway lit up further as a low thumping could be heard…but she ignored it for now.

"It's clear!" Wendy informed her friend with a low shout over her shoulder. Climbing up and over, the lithe teen dropped down to the other side as she pulled her pistol free once more. Looking up, she waited with a growing sense of dread in her heart as that strange thumping continued from down the newest hallway. _"Holy fuck that was close! I can still smell it's rancid breath…"_ The girl grimaced as her heart thumped from the panic.

Ashcroft jumped up, gripping the sill just as the double doors burst open, giving entrance to the trio of undead as they tripped and stumbled past the tangle of desks. They snarled with hunger, spotting the human woman as she climbed and shimmed her way up. Breasts were pressed against the wall, but it was a mild discomfort as she climbed though the tiny window. Dropping down with a grunt on the tile, she glanced at her friend while the moans wafted toward them from the other side. Wiping a slender hand along her forehead, the reporter took a deep breath with stress on her lips.

"Let's not go back that way"

"Ditto" Wendy agreed as she slowly started walking down the hallway…and discovered the source of the thumping sound. A large, over weight police man was beating against a vending machine with mindless stupidity as the door to the west office hung open.

"Ugh…I have the feeling we could've just walked through that office…" Wendy groaned as she switched weapons to her bat.

"We can yell at Marvin later for that slip up. Poor bastard has other things on his mind anyway" the blonde whispered as she slid up to the corner of the narrow hall with her pistol drawn. It opened up into a larger area with no visible threats with the exception of their lone friend. Looking back at Wendy, the blue haired survivor was gripping her bat as both women nodded in an unspoken agreement.

Running forward, Allyssa moved toward the next hallway past the armory as the zombie continued to beat on the machine.

"Hey ugly!"

The deceased stopped its battering's, slowly turning toward the source as its head lolled to the side. Fresh gore encrusted its mouth as it moaned before it shuffled forward on unsteady feet. It didn't see Wendy as the younger woman flanked behind it before swinging the bat low at the back of its left knee.

'_**Crack!'**_

The bone splintered and broke under the blow, tumbling the corpse to the tile as it landed hard. Rushing forward, Wendy pinned it down with a boot to the back as the former officer tried to crawl toward Allyssa with broken fingers.

"No, you don't!" Wendy lightly shouted as she brought her trusty bat down on the crown of the balding head. It crunched…but the infected still moaned as the girl tensed her muscles and swung again. Blood spattered across the tile from the second blow…then the third…and finally the fourth as it lay still in a second death as brain matter leaked from the ears.

"Fuck…I'm getting sick of zombies"

"Same here, Wendy" the reporter agreed as she studied the now secure area. The door to the west office still hung open, a few lights inside probably left by Marvin and Rita. Looking inside the office, Allyssa didn't see any infected or other horrors before closing the door with a soft click.

"Supply Room" Wendy pointed out as the teenager covered with speckles of fresh gore reached for the knob. Allyssa covered her, pointing her pistol at the door before the younger woman pulled it open with a yank. It had obviously been unlocked…and deserted as the two females walked into the dusty room.

Moans and grunts from the operations room could be heard through the wall and chained door, but the distant undead didn't notice as the females quickly searched. A stack of old boards lay in a corner near a desk while a dirty erase board sat against the wall.

"What the hell is this doing in here?" Ashcroft asked softly as she picked up a detonator from the old desk. It was obviously still useable by its condition, but she could not figure out how it wound up in a storage room. Pocketing it in her side pouch with all her other belongings, she cocked an eye at Wendy as she uprooted a small, green plant.

"What? They have medical properties for light wounds" the female explained as she quickly prepared the green herb for future use with experienced fingers. In moments it was a mound of green enclosed in a small herbal bag that had been laying on the desk.

"_That's just too convenient…just what kind of secrets is this girl hiding?"_ the reporter asked herself as they soon left the storage room for the west passage. A rapid tug of the armory door told them both it was still locked as the keypad hummed a sinister red. Wherever the keycard was…it wasn't here.

"Maybe we'll find it in the S.T.A.R.S. office?" the blonde suggested as the two started to walk down the next hallway toward the stairway. But their footsteps slowed as they saw the form at the window as sunlight poured in.

The glass shattered, tinkling inward as the undead man dragged himself in over the broken window pane. Flesh and skin was torn with the passage over broken glass, leaving a few ribbons of flesh on the sill. The creature moaned as it collided with the floor before pulling itself upward as it started to walk drunkenly toward the two women. Shards of window pane stuck out of its torn open belly as bits of intestine hung loosely. The strands of flesh swung in the light while a few pieces plopped to the floorboards… it was horribly hypnotic as both women raised their firearms.

"Ugh…these things are so gross" Ashcroft admitted before squeezing the trigger. Her aim was off, striking the zombies shoulder as it staggered back a few steps. The body was already a mess of wounds and gore as she re-aimed at its drunken head. Firing a second time, the pistol smoke stank in her nostrils as the round tore away part of its throat in a tiny explosion of decayed flesh.

"Dammit!"

"Need help?" Wendy asked as the zombie was now fifteen feet away. It moaned insidiously, the dead eyes locked onto both as it let out another painful rasp.

"No. I got it" the reporter replied stubbornly as she took a deep breath to steady her aim. A small chuckle escaped from her comrade's lips as she fired. The corpse's head kicked back, part of the skull and brain spinning away from the bullets passage as the former man dropped to the floor, motionless. Lowering her aim, the reporter smirked as Wendy started to walk forward.

"I could've done it in one"

"Shut up"

Enjoying the light moment of teasing, both made sure the dead man was actually dead before making their way to the staircase. A door set into the wall led to a small locker room and photo development lab, but nothing really stood out to them as both women left the small room after a few minutes of inspecting. Another pile of boards sat near the corner under the stairs, but neither of them had a hammer or nails to barricade the glassless window.

"Let's head upstairs. Maybe we'll find something useful" Allyssa instructed as her shoes made the stair boards creak.

"One can hope…" Wendy agreed as a few more windows in the stair well poured shafts of light around them. The dead body of a police woman sat at the first landing near a closed shutter, the neck a ragged wound of torn skin and muscles. Dried blood had leaked down her uniform shirt as the buzzing of flies feasted on the rot.

The body twitched as the left hand started to flex, an empty pistol dropping to the floorboards with a light thud.

"Shit" Allyssa muttered as a low groan emanated from the body. Stopping halfway up the staircase, she was preparing to fire until her younger friend beat her too it.

Wendy snapped up her firearm, lightly pressing the trigger as the laser sight punched through the air to center on the forehead.

'_**Bang!'**_

A brass casing flew from the ejection port as the main slug bore through the brain and splattered rancid gore against the wall. It was chunky and vile…sliding down like red slime as the girl lowered her weapon.

"I could've handled it" the reporter quipped as both women walked up the final steps to the first landing. Shoes stepping in dried blood, they tried not to think how sticky it was as silence overcame the area.

"I know. But you're such a bad shot that it would've taken you three tries" the girl smirked as Allyssa chuckled.

Stooping down the check the officer for spare ammunition, the older woman found none after a few seconds of searching the dead body. "Not all of us get fancy laser sights on their handguns. It's practically cheating" she shot back while rising to her full height again. Taking a look around, she sighed in disappointment as the hallway leading to the S.T.A.R.S office was another pile of barricaded chairs and cabinets. A glance to her right revealed a wrap around walkway that would lead to the third floor…but that just seemed like a waste of time right now. Walking forward, their footsteps echoed in the silence as the door to the men's shower hung open to their right.

A vibration was felt through the floor and wall, making her senses panic as she turned to Wendy with worried eyes.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah…yeah I did. Come on, maybe we can get through this shower room and hope that was some distant explosion" the blunette reasoned…but her words sounded hollow to them both. Leading the way into the room, Allyssa moved past several lockers as Wendy followed in support.

It was empty. No bodies or monsters…just some lockers and empty shower stalls. Staring at the tiled wall across the room, Allyssa groaned at the dead end.

"Dammit…I think we need to cut back through the hall and—"

'_**CRASH!'**_

She was interrupted as the far wall exploded inward, showering her with dust and shattered ceramic. It got in her hair and lungs, making her cough as her eyes burned. She could barely see through the swirling dust as heavy bootsteps approached.

"ALLYSSA! WATCH OUT!" Wendy screamed in sheer horror at the monstrosity standing there. Raising her pistol, the younger woman fired off three shots in quick succession as the nightmare raised a large fist. The bullets impacted the hulking torso enshrouded in a black trench coat…and it barely noticed the blows.

"_STARS…"_

Ashcroft squinted as her instincts screamed at her to duck. The fist hissed through the air, taking out the corner of a shower stall as it sailed above her head. She wanted to piss herself at what she was seeing. A scarred, lipless grin of a monstrous head…pulsating purple tubes running from its neck as its towering body turned toward her…and she was completely frozen with fear.

"ALLYSSA! RUN!" her young friend screamed as two more gunshots echoed in the men's shower room. _"Move…move you stupid bitch…MOVE!"_ Her mind screamed as her senses came roaring back…but not fast enough as the…towering nemesis simply kicked her in the side.

She flew into one of the stalls, her back hitting the tile like a hammer as the breath was knocked out of her in one fell swoop. Her ribs flared and she coughed up spittle while flecks of blood hit the tile.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Wendy hollered at the top of her lungs as she aimed at the gnarled and scarred head of a creature from hell. _"Dammit! I know Natsu beat one of these things last spring at some point…but he had fucking magic! Fuck! I…I need to draw it away!"_ The girl reasoned as she fired at the patchworked cranium.

The pistol bucked in her hand, the slide kicking back each time as brass echoed against the metal lockers nearby. They were clean hits, gracing its skull as it slowly turned its one eye toward her.

Her gun jammed on the third shot, making her heart skip a beat as her nimble fingers tried to clear the blockage. "Fuck…" the teenager gasped out as adrenaline made her fumble with fear.

"_STARS…" _it hissed as the large legs strode across the room in seconds. Extending a massive hand, it simply picked up Wendy by the head as her cries echoed against the walls. Starting to exert pressure, it aimed to simply crush her skull with grotesque strength.

Allyssa's body ached as she tried to stand herself up, the painful cries of her comrade seeping into her pores. The 9mm dropped from her hand…and she wasn't sure if it would even help at this point. Coughing heavily, the reporter reached into her side pouch for the .45.

"_Just hit it in the back…"_

"AAAAHHH!" the girl wailed as the reporter took a shaky stance with her heavier sidearm. The firearm bucked, shaking her limbs as the larger slug expended force between the shoulder blades. She fired again, and noticed a visible effect as the eight foot tall horror stopped applying pressure for a split second against the fifteen year old.

Wendy was in a panic as her fingers fumbled against the side pouch on her hip in a panic. The pressure against her skull was…_agonizing_. And she knew seconds matter if she wanted to live. Finally opening the trusty pouch, her left hand gripped the .357 as she raised to the scarred and sinister skull barely a foot away from her own face.

"You sure have a shit eating grin…" she quipped with a voice full of pain as she pressed the revolver to the monsters scarred temple. Squeezing the trigger, the weapon bucked in her hands as the nemesis staggered backwards.

"LIKE THAT YOU FUCKER!" Wendy yelled with panicked and defiant rage as she fired again at point blank range with her head still gripped tight.

'**Boom!'**

The beast roared, throwing her against a locker as it tried to clutch the seeping wound against the left temple.

Wendy landed with a heavy grunt, her armor taking the impact from the hard landing as her head throbbed and swam. Speckled spots and stars filled her vision as the nightmarish abomination marched past with a snarl, ignoring the girl as it sinister lips curled back.

"_Stars…find stars…"_

It's boots thudded and thumped through the doorway, the mission to find a certain police officer taking precedence over two civilians as they slowly faded. The sound of tinkling shards of glass from the first floor indicated it had climbed outside the window…but Wendy didn't really care as her body and lungs screamed for air and calm.

"Wendy…are you still alive?" Allyssa asked as she staggered forward. She had retrieved her pistol, holstering it for now as she clutched her side with a gasp of pain. _"Not broken…but fuck I'm surprised they didn't…"_

"Yeah…ugh…" the girl groaned out as her vision slowly cleared. Sliding the .357 back in her pouch, she crawled across the tile toward her jammed firearm as her body wanted to vomit. She had been terrified…certain she would die. The pressure on her head…she could've sworn it was starting to_…crack._

"You…saved my life…twice in the span of…of ten minutes" Wendy rasped as she clutched the weapon in her fingers. Feeling herself picked up by the older blonde, she groaned as they both tried to support each other.

"Who's…who's counting at this point? C'mon…the STARS office is strait ahead…"

Struggling forward, both women were limping as their shoes and boots crunched the powdered and splintered tile beneath them. Walking through the now large gap between the women's and men's shower, the two moved into the hallway as shafts of light poured through windows. No zombies or monsters lurked…which was a godsend as a few windows had been broken sometime in the recent past. A spattering of blood decorated a wall…but the two women ignored it as they pushed the doors to the office open.

Shouldering it shut, both women limped toward the large radio console as multiple desks lined the far wall. Each was personalized, telling a story of the owners…but neither woman cared as they slid down against the wall near a wall mounted first aid box.

"Let's just…sit here a bit…" Wendy whispered as she tried to ignore the throbbing and pounding of her head. It was like a jackhammer of anvils as she let out another groan….but she was sure it was starting to fade.

"Yeah…fuck…just what the hell was that?"

"A nemesis…a god damn nemesis…and it's after Jill" Wendy observed as her vision slowly cleared. "Give me a few minutes to clear my head…"

"Sure…god damn…that fucker kicked like a moose on steroids. I'm surprised…nothing broke" Allyssa joked with a chuckle as Wendy laughed at the sheer insanity of it all.

"That's….a moose? Really?" she grinned as relief and feminine laughter filled the abandoned office from the near brush with death…and their escape from its clutches…

Cindy sat on a folding chair near Marvin, the blonde clutching the meat cleaver in her hands as her eyes studied the abandoned hall. It was fully morning now thank goodness, but her senses were flaring. Something had been destroyed or exploded in the west wing of the station…and it scared her.

"Hey…everything's going to be alright" Marvin spoke to her, the older male trying to smile as he lay down on a cot. His bite wasn't throbbing as much thanks to that young woman…but he felt something off about her._ "The way she handles this situation…its like she's used to it. No panicking or crying…false bravado. No…she's level headed and trained in firearms and medicine. And she lived longer than most of my fellow officers…"_

Marvin vowed that if he lived, he would have some serious questions for that young woman later.

'**Bang!'**

A gunshot rang out, punching through the stillness as a trio of voices wafted down from a higher height.

"He's down" a female tone informed the hall as Cindy stood and looked upward.

"Rita!? Is that you!?" Cindy shouted toward the third floor balcony as she gazed upward. Spotting movement as Marvin shifted himself, the blonde smiled as the other woman looked down from the superior height.

"Yeah! Is Marvin alright?" the echoing shout wafted as the shorter blonde looked down at the duo near the reception desk.

"I'm just peachy officer…are the others okay? How goes the search?" Marvin grunted out as he stood up to look at the female.

"We're fine. Managed to find the weapons locker card on Sergeant Fuller in the East storage room…he…was already gone" Elliot said in a trailing whisper before shaking his head. "Marvin! Be careful! We saw something big…something after STARS. We're going to find those last two medallions and clear out weapons storage! Stay safe!" The officer finished as the trio moved away to continue their mission.

"I don't like the sound of that…could that have caused that rumble before?" Cindy voiced out as Marvin sat back down, concern etched across his face.

"Nothing we can do about it now. The best thing for us is to wait for the others"

"And if it shows up here…? The waitress inquired as she sat down next to the lieutenant.

"Then you run. Don't try to save me. I'm infected and could be a hindrance if you try"

"Don…don't say something like that. We'll all make it, I promise"

"Heh…don't make promises you can't keep" Marvin let out as he leaned back against the receptionist desk. "You're a kind soul, Cindy…make sure you survive"

The blonde nodded, gripping the hem of her bloody shirt as insecurity raised its head again. Her side still ached, but it was manageable. Looking around as the sound of a door closed above, she found herself sitting in silence once more.

Elliot stood on the elevated walkway of the library as his two partners filed through the doorway. Closing it was a low _'thud' _Tom was about to speak when they heard it…the disgusting sound of flesh being chewed…_eaten._ An insidious ripping and gulping that had all three gripping their weapons tight. Slowly approaching the wooden bannister that wrapped around the wooden walkway, the three glanced down…and grimaced.

A zombie was feeding on a corpse right below them, pulling at chunks of viscera and torn flesh as it continued to snack and eat unaware of their presence.

Rita gulped, the sound grating on her nerves as Tom started to look at his surroundings. It was spacious and furnished with oak paneling, making it an inviting and warm place in most circumstances. Books lined the wall, surprising him at the volume of research materials on hand. To his right was a short gap between rolling bookshelves. The spacing was wide, but he could jump it pretty easily if needed. To his left was the main walkway that stretched straight to the staircase. Another elevated walkway jutted through the middle of the cavernous room, leading across the expanse to another door on the other side.

"This way. If we're quiet, we can get to the lounge and the second medallion no problem" Elliot informed them as he took a few steps toward the walkway intersection. The boards creaked under the weight, then gave way on his third step with a horrific _**'Crack'**_

"AH SHIT!" officer Edwards yelled out as he fell through the rotting gap in the floorboards. Coming to a tumble, he grunted more in annoyance than pain as wood dust flecked his hair.

"Elliot! Look out!" Rita shouted from above as she pointed her pistol downward. Swiveling his head, the auburn haired police man cursed as the previously feeding zombie staggered to its feet. Turning on a drunken stance, the milky white eyes locked onto him as the feet started to shamble. Snapping up his firearm, he was about to fire when a second infected groan came from his left. Turning his head, his eyes widened in fear as another of the dead rounded the corner.

"Fuck!"

"Rita! Cover him!" Tom yelled out as he backed up and started to run toward the fresh hole in the floor.

The woman needed no encouragement as she fired downward, hitting the first zombie in the neck as it grunted. Coagulated blood sprayed, but the undead continued unabated toward Elliot. She fired again, hitting it in the knee as bits of bone splintered away. The dead man collapsed to the floor with a grunt, giving Edwards a chance to run out into the open. _"A lucky bad shot…"_

Pumping his legs, Tom leapt over the gap as Elliot scrambled into the more open area of the library with curses and panic on his lips. Moving into the T-intersection of the walkway, Tom leaned over the railing as the second zombie wandered into view below him.

"Stay back!" Elliot barked out, knowing it was futile with these enemies. Grimacing as the downed zombie started to crawl and shift toward him, he turned his aim toward the upright one. After all, it was the more dangerous one.

His gun barked, leaving a few wasps of acrid smoke as his bullet punched into the chest. The shirt bloomed red…but really didn't slow it down as he tried to re-aim with adrenaline pumping through his veins. Two more shots pierced the air, knocking the zombie back as they shattered the sternum. His aim was off and both were looming closer. Then he heard it…a third hungry gasp. Turning his head with a snap, he cringed as a reanimated woman walked toward him from the lounge doorway.

"Oh come on…" he spoke with frustrated annoyance as she drunkenly bumped a table in her stupor.

"ELLIOT! USE THE LADDER!" Tom yelled out as he fired downward into the back head of the second infected. Gore splattered from the true hit, the rancid blood cascading across the floor as the corpse collapsed in a heap.

Edwards cursed his stupidity as he turned and gripped the first rung. He still had time to escape the last two…but not much as the woman closed the distance with slacken jaws. Spurning his feet, he climbed like a frightened monkey as the crawling corpse tried to ensnare an ankle…but missed by a good foot. Lifting himself to the floorboards, the policeman gasped with relief before standing to his full height. Looking down the ladder, he saw the last two creatures pawing and moaning with dead eyes.

"Thank god they can't climb ladders…"

Glancing up as Tom and Rita moved toward him, he gave a nervous grin to his partners.

"Thanks for covering me. That could've been way worse"

"Anytime Edwards…anytime" Tom worded simply as he glanced toward the door nearby. "Should we check it out? That third medallion could be in there"

"Might as well. Hopefully our undead friends stay distracted and let us slip into the lounge on the way back" Rita shrugged as she moved toward the door with her stance on the defensive. She took a breath, steadying her nerves as the moans of the deceased continued uninterrupted.

Pushing the door open, the gloom and dust of the storage room was lost among the nightmarish stench permeating the air. It was vile…everywhere. And it made them gag and wheeze with disgust.

"Oh god…what the fuck caused that?" Tom reeled with his eyes watering.

"I don't know…but it can't be good. Come on, just….try breathing through your mouth" Rita instructed as she flicked on her firearms flashlight. It punched through the gloom as she entered, her shoes kicking up dust among still fresh footprints. Passing her vision over shrouded ladders, building supplies, and forgotten artwork piled among crates, she felt the hair on her arms prickle. _"This room…this room feels wrong"_

Trying to shake off the sense of dread, she took another step forward as flecks of dust drifted everywhere around them. Her two partners fanned out, each grimacing with disgust as they went right or left with a soft padding of footfalls. Walking past a supporting column for the building, the female officer tried to grin as her flashlight passed over a small find on a dusty desk.

A standard issue magazine of 9mm bullets and a side pouch. Just sitting there like nobody's business. Not questioning how or why the items came to rest here, she was quick to snatch them up as the pouch became a new accessory to her left hip with extra ammunition.

"Oh my fucking god!" Tom yelled out in horror from the end of the room, his voice laced with fear and disgust.

"Are you alright!?" Edwards shouted from his position as he and Rita ran to the source with stress in their steps. Running around the support pillar and a few other pieces of furniture, the two froze at the deputy's find.

It was a cage of steel bars with the third statue on the other side, its marble edifice spattered with blood as the stench of flies and decay grew stronger. But the bodies…there was easily half a dozen corpses trapped inside in all manners of death. Maggots crawled over the skin of some, feasting on the horrendous meal as Elliot gagged. Some of them were police officers.

"Oh fuck…that's Nichols…and Deere…and Manford…oh fuck…WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DID THIS!?" the man screamed out in horror at the nightmarish sight of his dead officers.

Stepping closer as the other man tried to regain control of himself, Deputy Kincaid started to study the bodies littering the cage.

"That…that can't be right…"

"Wh..what isn't?" Rita gasped as the flies buzzing around Manford crawled over his eyes. She barely registered the fact that a small block of C4 was attached to the heavy cage door as Elliot threw up nearby from the sight. _"Shit…SHIT! I thought they died out in the city! And how can we even get the medallion now!? Are there any detonators left?"_

Her thoughts raced as Tom nudged her forearm, making her jump with a start as he pointed toward the decaying bodies.

"None of them are bitten. I'm recognizing gunshot and stab wounds…but not a single bite"

"W…what do you mean?" Edwards asked shakily as he tried to wipe away the excess drool.

"Whatever did this…wasn't a monster. It was a human" he told them before moving toward the barricaded doorway with C4. Throwing his shoulder against it, the metal didn't budge an inch as his senses swam.

"Who…who would do something like…this during an emergency" Rita asked softly as her mind went to one man…one person she could think of that would have access to this room…

"Irons…"

"You think the chief did this? But nobody has even seen him since all this went down"

"If what you both told me about him is true, then we need to be careful. Anybody that dodged rape charges and became a police chief has to have skeletons in his closet…and it might be literally in this case. If I see him I'm plugging the S.O.B." Kincaid assured his companions with iron in his voice. Some cops went corrupt…but this here? This was evil. Turning, he headed toward the door to the library with his gun raised.

"Nothing can be done here now. Let's try to find something to blow that barricade down"

The officers nodded, knowing the deputy was right as they left the room of horror. Moving through the library as silently as possible, the trio avoided alerting the two undead near the ladder before passing into the lounge.

It was serene and well kept with polished marble floors…except for the broken door that led to the West Hallway and the S.T.A.R.S. office.

"Shit…I bet it was that…whatever it was we saw" Elliot said in a mixture of fear and worry before moving toward the medallion statue. A quick glance at his notebook had the correct sequence in moments as a small plate slid back to reveal the bronze artifact.

"Two down. One to go" Edwards preened as he slid it into a pocket. Turning toward his team, he sighed in frustration as they headed past the shattered doorway of wooden shards.

"Dammit…why would they even try to follow that monster…?" He asked himself in disbelief. _"Although…it might be more human than Irons…" _Pushing the thought away as he quickly followed, Elliot caught up with Tom and Rita as they moved toward the STARS office over the sound of crunching glass. Sunlight poured in, painting a strange image as the moans of distant infected creeped through the windows. Rita grabbed the doorknob, slowly turning it as she prayed that horrific thing wasn't inside. Pushing the door open, she was met with Wendy standing there with a gun pointed directly at her.

"God Rita…shit. I thought you were that Nemesis thing" Wendy gasped as she lowered the pistol to her side. Turning away, she crouched down to continue applying the green herb and bandages to Allyssa's exposed side as the reporter lay on the floor with her back to the wall.

"You…you saw that thing?" Tom asked with trepidation as he and Edwards moved into the office to feel a modicum of safety.

"Yeah…kicked our asses too. Lucky to be alive. By the way…pistol rounds only annoy it" Allyssa wheezed as her side started to bruise.

"Why not fill us in and we do the same while I finish bandaging her" Wendy suggested to the three as the officers nodded.

It took ten minutes of relaying facts and finds for both groups to catch up as the reporter grunted with exertion. Her side still hurt, but the rumors were true. Those green herbs did seem to help as it felt like a cooling sensation on her damaged side.

"Easy now" Wendy tried to say as she eyed the blonde who reached into her side pouch.

"Relax…I'm bruised, not crippled" she replied before handing the detonator over to Rita. "Get that damn medallion and unlock that sewer entrance. Myself and Wendy will see what's left here and in that weapons locker downstairs"

"You sure? You two got knocked around a bit" Tom replied as he handed over the keycard they found earlier.

"The path…should be clear now. I'm pretty sure the Nemesis left the station now anyway"

"Why do you keep calling it that?" Edwards asked the teenager as he leaned against a file cabinet.

"The name fits"

Shrugging, the man couldn't argue with that. That thing did have a terrifying nemesis-vibe to it. "Alright. We'll backtrack and meet up in the hall in five min—"

The large radio console crackled to life, the hisses and pops barely making it through.

"_This is…los of the U.B.C…evac..tion at cl…k tower. Octob… second at noon. Most of them are…ed. Holed up in…tram car past city…all…KSSShk!"_

The radio popped and wheezed once more before a small plume of smoke rose from the console, signaling its death throes.

"Did…he say an evacuation at the Clock Tower? At noon tomorrow?" Rita asked her fellow survivors who slowly nodded.

"It sounded like it. But that's across the city, right?" Wendy asked the adults who gave solemn nods.

"Yeah. But if we can get to the sewers it could be safer, right?" Tom asked as the realization soaked into his mind.

"Let's get that fucking medal and get outta here" Elliot said with a gung ho grin as the possibility of escape loomed. Heading toward the door, the other two swiftly followed as they left the duo of females behind.

"I'll do a quick once over of the room. Then we should get going" Wendy suggested as she started to search the office for anything useful. The weapons locker was a sealed no go. The only way to access it would be a STARS swipe card…or C4 and a detonator. So…she kept looking as Allyssa started to do the same at the other side of the office…

**7: 17 a.m. The front entrance to the R.P.D.**

Jill, Leon and Claire passed through the large gates to the police station without incident as the blazing inferno consumed more of the avenue and tanker truck in the short distance. Luckily, their trek back had been uneventful as Leon and Jill pushed the gate shut and locked it once more. Turning, they watched as Claire walked up the steps to the station with the backpack of goods hanging off her back.

"C'mon rook. I bet the others are already done collecting those damn medals" Jill started to say as she walked forward with a light sway of her hips to tease the handsome officer. She knew it wasn't the best time, but she had to take a small token of enjoyment when she could in this dead city. And teasing the man with her ass was the perfect way.

It came without warning.

The creature landed five feet away from her, cracking the brickwork of the courtyard with its heavy mass as it slowly stood from the landing. It towered above her by a good two to three feet as the horrendous face turned toward her. It was marred by a seeping head wound while the lipless orifice sneered among the stitchwork that covered one eye. Pulsating tubes of purple liquid pumped from its neck as the body of muscle enshrouded in a trench coat finally turned toward her. Taking a step forward with a massive boot, Jill felt her blood run cold like the ice of Antarctica as the tyrant raised a large fist. And the voice…it made the devil sound friendly as she took a horrified step back toward Leon with fear clutching her throat.

"_STARS…"_

**And there we go! A fresh chapter of the survival horror! I really hope you all enjoy the appearance of the Nemesis and our heroes bidding to live! And don't worry, Jill and her group will definitely have more screen time in the next chapter! And I know some of you might not like it, but I'll be concentrating heavily on this story and maybe a few Shifting chapters. Its just I have so many ideas for this one and it's a thrill to write! So please enjoy and leave a review if you'd like! It spurns my motivation!**

**Jill: Oh shit…OH SHIT THE NEMESIS!**

**Nemesis: STARS? *Looks toward a flower bed and points* STARS?**

**Leon: Its stupid, run!**

**Nemesis picks up a rake: STARS?**

**This the thehappy signing off!**


	7. Escaping the RPD (Part One)

**Well hello! I'm back with another chapter for No Hope, No Escape! I hope you've all been enjoying it even if I do get minimal feedback…but whatever. To those that read and review your awesome! And even if you just read it…thank you too!**

**Now…September is upon us which means cooler weather and more writing! Yes…I still work and hit the gym twice a week…and there is football…AND GEARS OF WAR 5! I'll be playing campaign and horde on that shit! So if you have an Xbox live account and want to gear up with me, send me a PM of your gamertag! I still don't own any media…**

**You are now re-entering the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 7: Escaping the R.P.D. (Part one)**

* * *

**The Front of the police department. October 1****st**** 7:18 a.m.**

Jill felt frozen in place as the lumbering, engineered monstrosity took another step toward her with only one desire emanating from its scarred face. To kill her.

"JILL! MOVE!" Leon screamed in her ear as her own body pulsated from the immediate danger. Feeling a strong hand grab her wrist, Jill was pulled to the side as a large fist hissed through the air where her head had been. Her senses came roaring back, the near miss kickstarting her survival instincts as the female ran to the double doors of the police station. Her chest heaved in the tight shirt as she pumped her legs in a mad sprint.

She could feel the heavy footsteps thudding against the pavement as she spared a quick glance. It was already turning, its movements slow but calculating as its eye tracked her. Her fear spiked.

"GET INSIDE!" She screamed at Claire who thankfully had already pulled the doors open in a terrified panic.

"I'll cover you!" Leon shouted as he took a professional stance on the raised steps with his pistol leveled. Squeezing the trigger twice, two bullets impacted the chest of the enemy…and barely had any registered effect. Small damage to the trench coat and flesh underneath had occurred…but if it felt pain it wasn't showing.

"Shit…" Leon gulped as a hand grasped his shoulder and pulled him inside.

"That won't work! You'll just waste ammo!" Jill yelled as the rookie was practically flung inside. Hearing the doors slam shut moments later, Leon helped her deadbolt the heavy lock…then the door shuddered on its hinges. The material groaned and thudded with strain as the three slowly backed away.

"Claire? What's going on?" Cindy asked as she clutched her only weapon nervously near Marvin as he slowly stood with his pistol drawn.

"No time to explain! We need to hide!" the sister of Redfield said loudly as her voice echoed among the hall. Moving up the low ramp to the others, she was interrupted as the front doors _**cracked**_ under the constant hammer blows.

"That's…that's not going to hold…god. What the hell is that thing?" Leon gulped as he slowly backed up with Jill nearby.

"A tyrant. It's a creation of Umbrella. I saw one at the Spencer Mansion this past summer" the beautiful officer informed the man who looked at her with hope.

"How did you kill it?"

"A rocket launcher…which we don't have"

'**CRACK!'**

Half the door splintered, the Nemesis shoving its head through as its lone eye scanned…and rested on Jill Valentine standing near the front desk.

"_Stars…"_

With one final blow, the lock and door splintered, opening the police station to the outside as the Nemesis took a heavy step inside.

"Jill! Run!" Leon yelled once more as he grabbed her hand and ran up the small ramp to the West Offices. Eyeing Claire and the others as he ran with the officer in tow, his eyes urged one thing…hide. Watching the handsome officer practically kick the door open, he and Jill ran into the darkened office as the enemy started to walk across the hall in pursuit.

Grabbing Cindy, Claire and Marvin ducked down on the opposite side of a flimsy medical partition as the thudding footsteps grew louder and louder. Gripping the .38 special in her hands as she crouched, Claire was prepared to fire as she peeked around the dirty material near a bin of used and bloody rags.

She saw it stop right at the door as it slowly looked their way. The brunette ducked back, feeling her body shiver as she prayed to whatever god there was to spare her and get them all through this nightmare.

"_Stars…"_

The tyrant turned away, moving through the doorway after Jill and Leon as its priority target was within grasp.

Expelling a breath she didn't know she was holding, Claire looked back into the open office as the creature slowly lumbered into the shadows with heavy footsteps.

"Holy fuck…I thought we were dead" Claire rasped out as Marvin slowly stood up.

"We need to get out of here. If Rita and the others are successful, maybe it won't be able to follow us" The bloodied Lieutenant said as his voice quivered with dread. _"No way in hell do we have the firepower to stop that thing. The best we can do is avoid it or draw it away somehow. Fuck…what kind of officer am I when my comrades are running for their lives?"_

"Let's hope so…um, were you able to find anything at the pharmacy?" Cindy asked as her voice trembled. That monster had been terrifying…and it wasn't even after her.

Nodding to herself, Claire suddenly remembered that she had supplies for these two. That momentary lapse could be forgiven however as she opened the backpack and pulled out a box of anti-viral pills.

"Marvin…we found some. I don't know if it will work or not, but it can't hurt to try at this point. And Cindy, a spare .38 for yourself. I'll show you how to load it" Claire tried to smile as she handed the items over to her new found friends.

Marvin took the box, flipping it over as he read the instructions near the tiny umbrella logo.

**Halts the progression of any virus guaranteed! Take one pill every four hours until medical help is available. DO NOT INJEST ALL PILLS AT ONCE. **

Marvin stifled a small laugh as Cindy practiced reloading her new revolver with Claire supervising.

"Something funny?" Redfield asked with a raised eyebrow as she kept an eye on the shattered doorway. The main gate was still locked and sealed, but who knows what they missed around the building.

"Just ironic. I'm taking medicine from Umbrella to stop a virus that they invented…its funny in a morbid way" the officer stated as he popped one into his mouth and pocketed the rest for safekeeping later as a distant moan rasped and echoed from the broken doors to the outside…

Jill and Leon raced into the West corridor as the Nemesis entered the office behind them. Its pursuit was unending as the staggering mass caused vibrations in their feet. Looking around, the two were surprised as Wendy and Allyssa exited the armory with looks of annoyance on their face. It was forgotten as they saw the panicked looks of the two officers.

"Leon? Jill?" Wendy asked…then she heard the steps as familiar dread and fear climbed up her spine. Then she heard it.

"_Stars…"_

It's voice echoed from the office…almost angry as Wendy gulped then started to run toward the dark room under the stairs. "Follow me!"

Not waiting around for the tyrant, the other three adults followed with heavy breathing and sweat dripping down their foreheads. Watching the girl turn, Allyssa was surprised as her younger partner flung the door open. Urging the three inside as the pursuing footsteps changed in tone, they all knew it was in the hallway near the weapons room…and they were getting louder.

Moving inside, Wendy closed the door with a silent click as she slowly backed away toward the center desk. Like a silent mouse, she raised a finger to her lips as the others stayed quiet. Pulling her .357 out, she aimed at the door as Allyssa covered her with the Mossburg with the other adults aiming pistols.

The footsteps grew louder.

'**thump…thuMP…THUMP…THUMP!'**

It was right outside the door…Jill could feel it as she dared not breathe. Nobody moved…nobody dared to make a single sound as silence reigned for a moments that lasted an eternity.

'**THUMP! THUMP!'**

"_Why isn't it entering? Is there something wrong with its programming?"_ Leon thought to himself as he glanced toward Jill…who was still stunning even in this situation. Brunette hair around a beautiful, feminine face…wondrous curves…she could have any man she wanted.

Scolding himself for thinking with his second head, Leon turned back to the door as the tyrant checked the hallway outside.

The station rumbled…almost like an explosion somewhere as Ashcroft tried to ignore the bruising pain along her side. Keeping her finger near the trigger, a bead of sweat dripped down her nose…but she didn't dare wipe it away out of fear.

"_Starss…_ The monster rasped. Then…then the footfalls started to fade.

'**THUMP! Thump…thump…th…ump…'**

Lowering her heavy weapon, Wendy tilted her head back as the spike of adrenaline faded. "Fuck…we barely survived that first fight with that bastard and now he's back?"

"You fought it?" Jill asked as Allyssa lowered her shotgun.

"Yeah. 9mm rounds completely ineffective. Just pissed it off. Wendy there did manage to put two .357 slugs into its head though. Of course, it still kicked our asses" the blonde relayed as Leon started to search the small lab…but found nothing except some half developed film in the back.

"Your lucky" Jill told them as she ran a hand through her hair as the stress started to eat at her. The zombies and other monsters were bad…but now a damn tyrant that wanted to kill her specifically. This was a fucking nightmare.

"Did you at least find anything in the Weapons room?" she asked tiredly as Wendy moved toward the door and peaked out. It was clear as the fifteen year old looked back.

"One spare mag of 9mm and a grenade launcher. But the launcher is behind a second grate with a keypad lock"

"I know the code. Let's hurry before that…Nemesis comes back again"

Having said that, Jill moved into the hallway with speed in her steps as the small group followed. Sunlight poured through the window, but they ignored it as they all moved toward the destination. Pushing the door open, Jill stepped up to the keypad. Fingers brushed keys in a rapid movement, pressing dow before a small 'click' was heard from the back.

"A new system inputted by chief irons a month ago…'To secure heavy weapons' Jill quoted with a voice of sarcasm as she walked past empty lockers. Coming to the cage as Wendy handed the spare magazine she found to Leon, Jill felt her luck rise for a moment.

There on the rack was a GM 79 Grenade launcher…including harness, a box of six grenade shells, and a spare pouch for storing them. Valentine grabbed them greedily, slipping the harness over her shoulders as the second pouch came to rest near her right hip…or more toward her fine ass. Tightening the straps, she felt her breasts constrict slightly, but shrugged it off as she loaded the weapon and stored her new found grenades in the second pouch.

"Man…when will I get a sweet weapon like that?" The rookie asked as Jill clutched her new weapon with a smile.

"Oh Leon…you know the rules. Ladies first"

"I hate to cut this short, but that explosion was probably Rita and the others getting the final medallion. We should regroup in the hall now" Allyssa informed the two officers.

"She's right. We can't waste any more time" Leon told them as the three women just walked past, lightly ignoring his words. Letting out a sigh, the rookie eyed the two beauties walking away as they checked the hallway for threats…then moved on.

"You coming? Cause if that bastard shows up again…" Ashcroft asked over her shoulder as she eyed the handsome rookie.

"Yeah…" he replied as the blonde put a slight sway into her hips before walking into the nearby office with a hidden smirk. Hurrying his footsteps, Leon's shoes clicked along the tile as they moved to regroup with Claire and the others…

The dust settled as Rita's ears finally stopped ringing in her head. Coughing lightly as her two compatriots stood guard around the room, she looked and lightly smiled…despite the horrid smell of the decaying bodies.

"It worked!" Williams said in a pleased tone as Deputy Kincaid covered the door to the library. Elliot was near the other door, keeping his weapon ready as dust mites fluttered in the stuffy air.

"Well then hurry up and get that medallion. I want to get out of here!" Edwards scolded as his senses picked up what seemed to be…footsteps.

The female officer couldn't agree more as she started to step among the broken bodies…and prayed that none of those crawling maggots would climb up her legs. Stepping over Officer Manford, Rita could imagine her skin crawling. She wished she could say something…but what could she say to a corpse? She had to concentrate on surviving.

Reaching the statue, her fingers rapidly spun the three characters depicted in the notebook before a small 'click' revealed the last and final medallion. Grabbing it from the slot, she clutched it tightly…just as the door near Elliot crashed open with a shattering of the doorframe and screaming hinges.

"OH FUCK!" Edwards screamed as that…Nemesis stood right before him. Raising a grotesque fist, it swung at the officer as he fell backwards in panicked fear. That fall saved his life as the horror demolished the left corner of a dusty table in one blow.

'_Stars…"_

"FUCKING MOVE ELLIOT! RITA! LET'S GO!" Tom shouted as he raised his pistol in a snap of motion. Pulling the trigger, the speeding lead impacted the scarred and diseased skin of the neckline. It momentarily paused as a tiny flow of purple blood seeped…but then it started to move again. Edwards backpedaled…scrambled to his feet as Tom discharged his weapon twice more in the span of three seconds. Just the sight of it made him want to scream as Rita and Elliot ran past, flinging the library door open.

"COME ON!" She shouted as the brighter lights of the furnished room poured in. Tom agreed, turning and running as the monster took steady steps forward. Flinging the wooden partition shut with a burst of muscle, Kincaid knew it wouldn't slow down the pursuer for long. Sprinting across the walkway as his heart beat raced, he saw Rita and Elliot already running down the stairs. Spurning more speed from his legs, he reached them in no time as the doorway crashed open.

It let out a rumble as its heavy weight seemed to vibrate the room as its lone eye tracked the three.

"Shit…" Tom whispered as sweat dripped down his brow. Running across the library with the other two, they could _feel_ it stalking them. Rita reached the doors first, practically crashing into them as they flung open. Gunfire greeted them as the trio looked on as over a dozen of the undead poured into the main hall. A few of them were already laying on the cooling tile, blood pooling around them as Cindy tried to target and kill one approaching her. She was standing near Claire, both women covering each other as the other survivors were scattered around the hall to kill the assailants.

"I'VE GOT THEM!" Rita shouted as her voice rang out. Not even slowing down among the sounds of gunfire, she pumped her legs and raced down the stairs to the central fountain. She placed the bronze medallion in moments, its metal shimmering in the October light as Edwards placed his own. A soft rumble greeted them as the setting stone slid backwards and down, revealing a brightly lit staircase.

"IT'S OPEN! EVERYBODY IN HERE!" Tom screamed over the popping pistol fire and moans of the undead. Ducking in, he ran down the steps as Rita and Elliot did the same…just as the doors to the library were literally broken off the hinges. It was back…and Jill was in the hall.

"_Stars…!" _it rumbled in an insidious tone as it spotted the woman near the shuttered door near the East Barricade. She had just dropped another zombie as Leon did the same. And the monster started to run as its boots slammed against the tiled floor. The lone eye tracked her as it ran…watching for movements as the target was in sight.

Claire turned after dispatching a third walking corpse…and her face turned to ice as that Nemesis ran down the stairs toward her and Cindy. She didn't even think…she just grabbed the waitress's wrist and pulled her to the side. It stomped past Marvin, completely ignoring the three as the Lieutenant waved them toward the opening.

"Inside! We can't beat that thing!" The wounded man said over the diminishing gunfire as he moved down the steps.

Wendy just crushed a corpses skull to paste with her trusty bat as the number of attackers dwindled to three. They were shambling toward herself and Allyssa, the former businessmen hungry for female flesh as their dead eyes tracked them. Hearing the shouts of panic, Wendy was momentarily frozen as that horrid thing ran down the opposite side of the hall toward the stunning brunette.

"JILL! RUN!" Ashcroft shouted as she backed up with Wendy, the three corpses sidling up the ramp toward them as the Nemesis closed with the last two survivors.

Jill finally heard the shouting and panic as the small battle with the undead ceased. Turning, her eyes froze as the Nemesis was only fifteen feet away with a snarl of murder on its face. But this time…she didn't freeze as she pulled the M79 from the back holster resting over her right shoulder.

"Suck on this you bastard!" She said in fear and hatred before squeezing the weapons trigger. Her arms and muscles tensed as a grenade launched, arcing through the air before blooming against the tyrant's chest. Fire and shrapnel dug into the coat and flesh, giving it some visible damage as it staggered with a grunt. Unfortunately, the loud explosion drew the attention of the last three infected as they turned and started to make their way over to Jill and Leon.

They were trapped…walls to their backs, three of the undead closing and that horrendous Nemesis just fifteen feet away. Leon heard Wendy and Allyssa shouting…waving them to hurry…but their escape was doubtful. Glancing at the broken doors of the main hall, Leon knew it was their best chance to not die.

"Jill! We can't stay here!" Leon shouted as the tyrant started to recover. Its exposed skin was smoking…riddled with fresh shrapnel as it snarled.

"Fuck! Outside!" Valentine ordered as she and Leon turned and sprinted. An undead hand swiped at her…tried to grab her at how close those walking corpses had been. Her adrenaline spiked once more as the two ran outside. A few more undead stood in the distant East Courtyard…most likely the area where they had all come from. Ignoring that dead end, the duo raced toward the front gate as miraculously…no more of the dead lurked beyond. Unlocking it with fumbling fingers, Leon glanced back as that hulking Umbrella monster appeared in the broken doorway. One of the dead tried to walk past…and a simple backswing caved in most of the face as the pursuer snarled.

They unlocked the gate and slid through, not even bothering to fully open it as the clog of traffic and ruin greeted them.

"This way!" Jill instructed as they started to weave through and around abandoned cars and trucks. It was a nightmare of metal as some of the vehicles still had corpses inside from either undead attacks or simple accidents. Whatever their cause of death, neither of them could lament how as they weaved through the narrow gaps as their shoes crunched broken glass.

A thump of metal resonated behind them, making Jill turn as the Nemesis started to climb over the crushed front end of a blue sedan as its eye tracked her. Feeling her soul shiver from the evil emanating from it, Jill found herself running faster as she reloaded the grenade launcher. Turning swiftly as the fresh shell clicked into place, she braced herself as she aimed. The Nemesis had stopped to climb over another vehicle as its bulk was just too large to weave through like herself.

'**Whoosh!'**

A second grenade flew, exploding against its chest in mid-step as it howled in anger. The tyrant was pushed onto its back as fresh damage scarred its heavy muscle and coat with some purple blood seeping from the wounds.

"Quickly! Before it recovers!" Jill said in a low shout as they turned north at the intersection near the station. It was still clogged with accidents and debris, but was thankfully clear of the infected as a city bus rested on its side with corpses laying in the street. Another partially cleared road lead further East…but they didn't go that way as Jill led the way to a nearby repair garage. It was a solid, cinderblock building as Leon flung the heavy, steel door open with a strain of muscles and grunts of effort. Rushing inside, the rookie slammed it shut and ran the locking bar into place as Jill rested her hands on her knees…taking deep lungfuls as her fear and dread slowly ebbed.

"Fuck…why the fuck does that thing want me?" She rasped as florescent lights flickered in the mechanic shop. Cars and Trucks…even a few vans were parked along the walls as some had been in the middle of repairs before this virus swept the city.

"I don't know Jill" Leon replied after he tested the heavy door barricade once more. It looked heavy…far heavier than anything in the precinct as the strong bar rested in a steel housing attached to the cinderblock wall. "Christ…we left the others"

"I know…but there wasn't much we could do" She paused…the women _feeling _the heavy footsteps outside as they both held their breath. The metal door rattled…but didn't budge as the Nemesis continued its search. Leon pressed his ear to the cool metal…and listened as the lumbering footsteps slowly faded…and faded into nothing. Expelling a stressful breath, he nodded his head while turning to Jill.

"I think it left. We should be safe for the time being" the handsome rookie relayed to the female. As he looked at the detective, he still couldn't get over how stunning she was. Eyeing the sweat glistening around her bosom, Leon tried to think of something else as Jill smirked.

"What? Never seen a pair of tits before?"

"Ummm…sorry" the auburn haired male replied as he looked at a van nearby in mild embarrassment.

She laughed lightly, the melodious voice like sunlight as the stress of this morning slowly caught up. "Relax Leon. It's not like you openly ogle them like Irons or some drunk. Plus…I didn't exactly dress to hide them. Let's chalk it up to a shitty situation and stress" as she inwardly smirked. _"Got him"_

And as the man nodded…Jill knew if she wasn't being pursued by genetically engineered horrors, she'd probably strip down and fuck him now and then. Who cares if they weren't dating or an item? He was a fine example of a man. And if she survived this, Jill planned to lock him in a hotel room for two days and screw his brains out. After all, she was a modern woman and didn't need to answer to anybody about her choices.

"So…what do we do now?" Leon asked as he started to walk around the garage. It was silent…only the humming of lights along the ceiling and abandoned automobiles inhabited the shop as Jill started to do the same.

"Catch our breath and search for any supplies in here. After that, we try to get to that Clock Tower by tomorrow and hopefully meet up with Wendy and the others"

"Sounds like a good plan" Leon stated as he peered inside a truck, hoping to find something worthwhile. "What are your thoughts about her anyway? Aside from that blue hair?"

Jill sat down on the hood of a red sports car, her buttocks feeling the chill through the miniskirt as she crossed her arms underneath her ample bosom as she ran through everything she knew about the girl.

"Well…she is highly trained. That much is obvious. Brave too. But…that claim of possibly curing Marvin of that virus…not even those scientists at the Spencer Mansion were able to do that before they turned. She's hiding something"

"Do you think she works for Umbrella? I mean…nobody would really question a fifteen year old girl…even if her color of hair is…odd"

"You make a good point. When we see her again, we'll have to ask her about it. Now let's search this place since we have the time. Anything could be useful" Officer Valentine ordered as she pushed off the car. Joining Leon, they started to search as the distant horrors outside were briefly forgotten…

Wendy watched Jill and Leon run out the front doors, their faces alight in fear as they barely escaped being overwhelmed by the undead and Nemesis. It followed them after the grenade shell had peppered its chest in damage…and nothing more could be done for the two as they ran through the front gates.

"Let's go…there's nothing more we can do right now" Allyssa told Wendy as her side throbbed. Turning toward the hidden entrance at the base of the fountain, both women's eyes widened in bits of renewed dread as they glanced past the urging Claire.

Lickers…four of them were crawling along the back wall of the cavernous hall as they scuttled and clicked, the razor claws digging into the woodwork and plaster. One hissed, the tongue waving about as the exposed brain glistened in the passing sunlight of a nearby window.

They were more terrifying in daytime.

"What are you waiting for!? Come on!" Redfield shouted to them…and the lickers heard.

'_**SCCCRRRREEEECHHHH!'**_

Their howls echoed through the air as the brunette turned with horror on her face. She just fucked up and now the monsters knew where she was. One jumped to the top of the fountain statue, clinging to it as the razor sharp tongue waved through the air like a scythe.

"JUST RUN!" Wendy shouted as she pumped her shorter legs with the reporter on her heels. The other three leaped, landing on the floor around the marble fountain in the hall as Claire ducked inside and started to run down the stairs toward the others.

The teenager reached the opening first, practically diving in as one of the skinless abominations leapt toward Allyssa with its clawed arm cocked back.

She made it inside with half a second to spare as the inhuman talons scrapped hideous gouges right along the stone frame. Turning with wide eyes, Allyssa took a step back as the opening ground shut, separating them from the lickers as she breathed.

"Fuck…fucking dammit Claire!" Wendy shouted as she regained her bearings and moved down the steps with Allyssa taking deep breaths.

"I'm sorry! I…I didn't know they were there!"

"They hunt by sound! You might as well have said 'Here's some fucking dinner! Come and get it!" The shorter female shouted as she got in the college students face.

"How was I supposed to know! I've never seen one of those damn things before!" the brunette snapped back before Marvin stepped forward.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! We have enough to deal with right now without all this petty arguing!" The leading policeman scolded in an authoritative tone as Wendy and Claire took a deep breath. Both of them moved away, trying to calm down as Cindy stepped away from a switch on the wall. Turns out it was a way to close the secret door as the blonde stepped forward.

"Do you think the others will be okay?"

"I hope so. Jill's smart and resourceful so I hope they managed to get someplace safe" Rita said with a scared tone as the group finally calmed down. They all started to take in the new surroundings, eyeing the antique décor, wood paneling, and the large oak desk in the center. An old typewriter and trunk sat in the corner as electric lights hummed among the shelves of books. To their right was a short hallway decorated in old paintings as the group took a collective breath to rest and regroup. Allyssa was leaning against the wall, slowly lowering her body as she clutched her side. Despite the green herb, her side was still bruised as Wendy walked over to check on her in subtle silence.

"What kind of room is this? A secret study? I didn't even know this was here" Elliot said in a normal tone as he looked around.

"This was hidden in your station the whole time? Why?" Kincaid asked as he moved behind the desk and started to pull open drawers. Nothing but useless papers with the Umbrella logo was found as Tom tried to make sense of them…but it was all numbers and legal jargon.

"Hey! There's an elevator" Cindy pointed out as she stepped into the small hallway.

"Could it be a way out?" Claire suggested as she slowly approached the sliding gate for the lift. Turning toward the others, she nodded.

"I'll check it out" the woman informed them as she double checked her revolver. It was fully loaded and ready for a fight as Marvin slowly eased himself against the desk.

"Not alone you're not. Who knows what's down there" the officer told her as some of the color slowly returned to his face.

"I'll go" Allyssa tried to say as she tried to stand…before Wendy pushed her back down.

"Rest you idiot. Right now your in a safe, secure room with no monsters and your side is bruised. Just stay here for ten minutes" Wendy encouraged with a small smile as she stood up and wiped some dried sweat from her brow.

"_Dammit…she's right"_ the blonde told herself as she closed her eyes and let the crashing fear flow out of her. There had been too many close calls already…and she finally had a break.

"I'll go. If somebody gets hurt I might be able to help. I'm no good to anybody just sitting here" she explained to Marvin who simply sighed. This girl was probably going to go anyway…no sense arguing. Plus, if she survived this long, she probably knew what she was doing.

Eyeing the shorter blunette, Thomas nodded as he double checked his service pistol. "I'm still a sheriff's deputy. I'm not going to let some civilians head into a potentially hazardous situation without backup" He stated evenly as Cindy gulped…but raised a hand as dried blood still clung to her ruined shirt.

"Me too. I…I want to help"

"Okay. That should be enough" Marvin stated as he turned his head toward Tom.

"Assess the situation if its safe or not. If we don't hear back from you all in ten minutes, we'll come find you"

"Right" he agreed as Claire started to empty her backpack on the oak desk.

"Um here…some food and water I found at the pharmacy. Help yourselves" she told them all as she took a water bottle and drank half before passing it to Cindy. The blonde took it, quenching her nervous throat as the fear of germs were hardly a factor. Passing the remainder to Wendy, the teenager shrugged and finished it off with a few greedy gulps.

With nothing else needed to be said, the four made their way toward the elevator as those staying behind tried to reassure themselves that this was the correct course of action. The sound of a rusting grate opening echoed through the room before the sounds of an elevator hummed and left them in morbid silence.

"Damn….I hope I'm making the right call here" Marvin wavered as he studied the other survivors.

"Your still hurt Marvin…and Allyssa needs to rest from her fight with the Nemesis. We couldn't all go without some of us struggling to keep up. This is probably the best option for the time being" Edwards relayed as he moved to the trunk as Rita and Marvin started to talk quietly near the desk. Opening it, all he found was stacks and stacks of old folders and papers. Picking one up, Elliot started to read as his eyes slowly widened.

**Albert W. **

**May 3****rd****, 2002**

**To Brian Irons. **

**We at Umbrella hope you enjoy your new position as chief of police. It was not easy considering your previous crimes of rape toward two women in college, but that is in the past and wont resurface. Of course…any further attempts would be strongly…advised against.**

**As per our agreement, you will receive $10,000 for this quarter in your efforts to destroy any evidence linking our company or silencing witnesses. Sowing ineffectiveness and confusion among the police during a disaster is still required.**

**Other requirements of your position are…**

"Guys? This…this is dated for when Irons first started…He…he's been working with Umbrella the whole time…." Elliot whispered as Allyssa struggled to her feet. Moving rapidly as her reporting senses tingled, the blonde snatched the parchment away as her blue irises soaked up the information. Smiling to herself, she raised an eyebrow as Rita and Elliot started to go through the trunk.

"Holy shit…years of bribes…elimination of witnesses and kidnapping…" Rita said softly as she turned to Marvin with a second file clutched in her hands. "Marvin…we…we've been working for a monster this whole time. Some of these even implicate Mayor Warren and the city council…" handing the sheets to the lieutenant, the healthier looking man started to read as his face contorted in an angry scowl.

"I always knew something was off about him. But this…this means Umbrella has had their hands in this city for years…" he lightly trailed off as he and the others started to read file after file…

Tom stepped out of the elevator first, happy to be out of the cramped space…but not really upset by the beautiful company. Keeping his pistol raised, wall lights flickered in the dusty, concrete stairwell as he started to descend the dirty steps.

Nothing moved, the only sound their breathing and the pumping of machines nearby. Reaching the first landing, Tom swung his aim left as a tunnel lined with steam pipes warmed the air. A sign read '**Machinery Room**' as hisses and clicks reached them all, but nothing moved as Claire walked past him toward the bottom of the stairwell.

"It's clear" the brunette told them all as she eyed a distant door in the corner as dusty construction cones and old tools lay piled in a corner on her left.

"Doesn't look like there's much here…" Cindy suggested as her tennis shoes kicked up some dust. Setting her gaze on Wendy who had approached a battered and worn workbench set against the concrete staircase, the younger girl eyed a small lock box resting near the corner. Opening it, her smile widened.

"Nice!" She preened happily as she dug her hands in and grabbed the four loose .357 bullets laying at the bottom. The girl didn't even question why they were there in the first place.

"What did you find?" The waitress asked in curiosity as Wendy turned.

"Some ammo for my .357. Have twelve bullets now"

"Good. Probably will come in handy. Now let's move on" Tom ordered as he moved toward the machine room. Taking point, he felt it was his obligation to be first if something happened. Noting the change of noise as their shoes beat against the steel mesh grating below, the four moved on at the corner as the air became humid and stuffy with moisture.

'**Grah…grunt…Grah!'**

The noise pierced their hearts as something large ran along the ceiling above them. The walls trembled as a steam pipe hissed while the heavy thuds of monstrous footsteps rang through the air.

Snapping her revolver up as the other three did the same, Cindy gulped as she looked at the others.

"What was that!?" the blonde asked in a fearful tone as Kincaid kept his pistol trained toward the ceiling.

"I…don't know. But it sounds like it's gone now…just stay alert" he told them as the four continued onward down the corridor. The hum of boilers and machinery was getting louder, filling their ears as each tried to control their fear.

"_What the fuck was that? Another Nemesis? Some…super licker? Should we go back? No…we need to keep moving forward if we want to escape"_ Claire told herself as bits of sweat dripped from her bangs. Gripping her weapon, she swung around the corner as Kincaid covered her.

The machinery room opened up in a series of pathways below among furnaces, gas lines and steam valves as a walkway lay before them. Then…she heard it. A small whimper.

"Did you hear that?" Claire asked as she walked forward.

"I think so" Cindy replied as she kept close to the braver woman. Shoes rang across the grating as the duo of women approached an office with several tipped over file cabinets and shelving units. The path was blocked…but then they saw a young face peering out of the darkness.

"A little girl?" Tom asked in surprise as he stood with Wendy, both of them keeping a vigil on the area as Claire crouched down to eye level.

"Hello. Are you alright?"

"No…the monster is after me…"

"Well…we fight monsters. I'm Claire. This is Cindy and back there is Wendy and Tom" Claire pointed behind her with a reassuring smile.

"What's your na—"

"Behind you!" The girl screamed as she scampered away in uncontrolled fear. Turning, Cindy barely let out a gasp of shock as…a monster jumped down from a higher height. The steel footpath groaned and cracked as it placed a massive paw on the blonde's chest and pushed her down. The walkway broke, the rivets and supports breaking with a screech as it encompassed the whole raised path.

"OOOFFFHHH!" Cindy cried out in an expulsion of breath as she fell, landing hard on the metal floor as the others cried out. They fell too, landing in a pile as the monster climbed away as they groaned.

"Cindy! Are you okay?" Wendy asked with an annoyed groan as she stood up.

Rolling to her side, the waitress coughed as a few drops of spittle left her lips. She groaned…but slowly helped herself up as she picked up her weapon.

"I'm…I'm okay" she informed them all as a heavy clang rang out from the area.

"It's still here…and that little girl is alone. We need to find her" Claire told them all as a nightmarish roar of anger and rage rang through the air. Raising their weapons, Tom was the first to spot it as the monster landed on the meshing with a heavy 'thud' Marching forward, all four could see it's grotesque features as it grabbed a mounted steam pipe on the wall…and literally ripped it off with a tensing of heavy muscle. More of the tattered lab coat ripped, adding to the noise as the dirty jeans specked with blood added to the sinister aura of it all as the water vapor flowed out from the damaged wall.

Billowing smoke hid it for a second…then it marched through.

A deformed head of a man had shifted to the left shoulder as a massive chest of pulsating flesh and muscles poured out in the light. The right arm and shoulder…were nothing but a mass of deformation while a bulbous…something covered the bulk of its right collarbone. Then…the mass opened as a yellow and reddish eye larger than a head blinked at them. Bits of clear liquid dripped down, spattering on the floor as Wendy snapped her pistol up.

"DID THAT SHOULDER JUST BLINK AT US!" She screamed in new horror…then the monster started to charge. Firing her pistol along with Tom, their gunshots barked among muzzle flashes as the bullets peppered the chest. The flesh smacked like wet garbage, making Wendy cringe as her third bullet didn't do anything.

"_**GRAAAGHHH! SH…SHHHEERRY!" **_the creature howled as it swung the heavy pipe toward herself and the deputy.

"SHIT!" Tom yelled out as he ducked, the metal weapon hissing through the air as Wendy rolled away to the left.

"Crap that was close!" The young woman admitted as she came into a crouch…and gulped as the nightmare turned toward her with a vicious snarl. It raised the giant arm, the pipe whistling through the air as the girl jumped back. It rattled the floor, making her gulp as Wendy saw Claire and Cindy run up near Kincaid. The creature grunted, taking another step forward as fear and terror emanated from her soul.

"MOVE WENDY!" Claire hollered at her over the thump of machinery as the girl nodded…then turned and ran as breath hitched in her throat.

"_SERIOUSLY! TWO BIG ASS MONSTERS IN LIKE…TWO HOURS!?"_

Cindy pulled the trigger, aiming for the large back of this renewed nightmare. The revolver jumped in her hands, filling her nostrils with fresh cordite as Claire and Thomas did the same. Her arms shook and vibrated from the kickback, but she kept a firm grip as the second .38 bullet bloomed against the horrid muscle and flesh.

"Is it even getting hurt!?" Tom yelled out as he fired for the fifth time, the rounds tearing into the tough hide as it slowly turned to face them. It grunted as the shoulder eye slowly opened, blinking with evil as Claire re-aimed for her fourth shot.

"THE EYE! HAS TO BE A WEAK SPOT!" She shouted to the others as her revolver barked. It spat flame, mixing in with Cindy and Tom as they too fired their weapons. Two bullets impacted the bulbous organ as Cindy's inferior marksmanship hit the grisly muscle nearby.

"_**GGGRRRRRAAAAHHHH!"**_

The monster howled, rage and pain contorting the ruined human face as it charged forward, swinging the large steam pipe with reckless abandon.

"CRAP!" Claire shouted as she and Cindy ran to their right, the heavy weapon impacting a line of machines as sparks flew. The metal indented deeply, forever marred as the abomination yanked it back as its muscles and strength tensed. Going into a mad swing, it indented a row of steel pipes with a tearing screech as Tom ran in a low crouch.

He felt that deadly club swish his short hair, missing by a breadth as he followed the path Wendy took. Looking back, he watched as the monster bashed a few more machines in an uncontrolled fury before it finally calmed down with a grunt. Turning the corner as it stomped after the two females, Tom caught his breath as that horrible tone filled the air.

"_**Shhheeeryyy!"**_

"Shit…what the hell is this thing!?" he said with sweat dripping down his cheeks. Wiping the salty liquid away, he turned and saw Wendy in a nearby corner as the mentioned girl took something from a nearby table.

The teenager gripped the flashbang in her left hand and .357 in her right as she turned and literally ran into Tom.

"Where did it go? Nevermind. We need to drive this bastard off!" she encouraged before taking another turn in this maze of pathways and rumbling machinery. She heard shouting coming from the…northeast? Wendy wasn't sure as a valve hissed near her head, blasting warm air in her face before she ran onward with Kincaid on her heels.

"Cover me, Cindy!" Claire shouted as the horrific enemy stalked closer, the pipe dragging on the metallic ground as it sparked and howled against other metals. Opening the cylinder, Claire was trying to fumble in fresh rounds as the two women found themselves backed into a corner near some controls.

The waitress fired, squeezing off two more rounds as her revolver gunfire reflected against smooth, metallic paneling. Pulling the trigger once more as the stalker closed within twenty feet, the blonde felt her blood run cold as the weapon gave a reverberating '**click'**

"NO! I'm out!" the stunning woman cried out as Claire tried to reload in the corner. Gulping as it drew closer, Cindy was horrified she could make out a name on the tattered lab coat.

"_Birkin…god! There has to be something we can use against him!?"_ She thought in a panic as she looked around. Then blinked in surprise at what she saw resting on a nearby console.

"A grenade?" she whispered to herself as she briefly wondered how it got down here…but it really didn't matter as Lennox snatched it up. Gripping it, she pulled the pin just like in the movies and threw it as the monster closed to ten feet.

"CLAIRE! GRENADE!" she shouted as the explosive tinkled and bounced right at the feet of their pursuer.

Snapping the revolver shut, Redfield didn't even question how or when Cindy found a weapon like that. All she did was jump to the left with her compatriot behind a heavy readout console as Birkin took one more step.

'_**BBOOOM!'**_

Shrapnel hissed and pinged against a nearby boiler, peppering the old iron as several gas pipes took damage and started to silently hiss. But the main force of the tiny explosive was taken by Birkin as he howled in monstrous pain and anger.

"Let's go!" Claire shouted as she sprung up and started to run out of the corner. Sprinting past the stunned monster as bits of heated shards stuck out of its exposed tissue, Claire saw the disgusting shoulder eye opened as it flickered and watched.

Raising her .38, the brunette fired three rapid shots into the weak point as bursts of yellowed pus flew across the floor. Continuing to run down the center aisle with Cindy trying to reload on the run, both women managed to escape the monster for the time being as it howled in refreshed rage.

"_**RRRRRAAAAUUUUGHHHH!"**_

The shoulder flexed, raising the pipe as Birkin went into a renewed frenzy of smashing and swinging. Sparks flew from tearing metal and buckling steel as it howled…just as Wendy and Tom raced around the corner.

"Oh crap…it looks mad…" Tom said as he raised his sidearm.

Birkin heard them, the former eyes locking on to them both as the rage frenzy finally slowed. Marching forward as the monster snarled with murderous intent, Kincaid fired three bullets in rapid succession at the head. It staggered lightly, the former man's skull taking some damage as Wendy lined up a shot with her magnum.

The gun kicked like a mule, making her arms tremble as the heavy slug tore a piece of the sandy, dirty hair away with flecks of gore and blood.

"_**GRRRUUUHHH! SHHHEEERRRY!"**_

The name uttered from its lips were a snarl of evil as the shoulder eye slowly opened, the infected look a disgusting horror of red as the stretched pupil centered on them both.

"DIE!" Wendy snarled as she fired again, her feet planted heavily as the magnum tested her physical strength. The bullet snapped across the humid air, burrowing into the horrid eye as pus and yellowish blood flew across the nearby machines.

The monster howled in a fresh rage, it's body practically pulsating as it jumped forward in a mad swing of destruction. Birkin landed right in front of Wendy, the eye still leaking yellow infection as the massive shoulder reared back. Tom had fallen to the floor grating by the heavy landing, the smaller arm knocking him away as Birkin snarled.

"FUCK!" The young maiden screamed out as she tried to duck away just as Cindy and Claire regrouped from their detour.

She was too slow.

The steam pipe landed against her left shoulder like a hammer halfway through her dodge, inciting a cry of pain as the girl was knocked into a nearby boiler like a rag doll. Her eyes swam…her shoulder flared with pain and agony as her vision darkened. Wendy passed out as her head slumped to the cool floor.

Birkin turned…the damage to its eye too much as the threat lay still on the floor. He killed it…he must reproduce and spread the virus as the former scientist staggered near a railing…and tipped over it and fell into some unknown bowel of the subterranean complex.

"Oh God! Wendy!" Cindy cried out as she ran over to the fallen girl. Crouching down, she pressed two fingers to the teenager's neck…and felt relief.

"She's alive…just knocked out" the blonde relayed as Tom stood up with a grunt. He'd taken a blow too…but nothing like this young woman. Sniffing his nose, his eyes lit up with panic as more gas filtered out of several damaged pipes in the room.

"Shit…don't light anything! Gas!" he warned the others just as a scared voice caught their attention from above.

"Use the ladder. I…I'm sorry I ran…he's so scary…" the young, blonde girl in a dirty school uniform told them from a raised platform as she hit a button release. Wringing her hands, the emergency ladder lowered before coming to a rest near the group.

"Tom? Can you carry Wendy?"

"Yeah…I got the little firecracker" he lightly joked as Cindy helped him lift her onto his back. Grunting as he wrapped the girl's arms around his neck, he moved toward the ladder as he slowly but surely climbed with one hand.

"Damn…this armor makes her feel heavy" He whispered as he reached the top…and prayed she would never hear that. The young schoolgirl helped, pulling Wendy to the elevated platform as the other two women rapidly ascended like lithe cats. Picking up the teenager once more as her head lolled to the side in unconsciousness, Tom looked at the three.

"Lead the way. We obviously can't backtrack…Especially with Wendy like this"

"It..it should be safe…there wer..weren't any monsters this way…" the girl stuttered as Claire walked forward and lent a hand.

"Here…grab my hand um..?"

"Sherry…" the ten year old whispered with a tight voice as Claire smiled.

"Sherry? Wasn't that brave of Wendy? How she helped the nice police man drive away the monster?"

"Y…yeah…I watched…" Sherry tried to smile as she gripped Claire's hand tightly. Squeezing for reassurance, they started to walk forward as Cindy took point.

She had her revolver pointed toward the ground, taking it slowly as more machinery thrummed and vibrated under the floor. Human footsteps echoed, filling the silence as they moved through the labyrinth. After a few minutes of walking and moving up a metallic staircase, the group found themselves in a small office.

A desk sat in a corner with an outdated computer while a few filing cabinets and storage trunk took up the opposite side. Papers were scattered around the desk while a small, green plant sat in a clay pot on a metal cabinet. Other than that…there wasn't much as Claire closed the door behind them and locked it.

Tom set Wendy down against the wall, her body armor a mar of scratches and dried blood as he studied her. She was breathing…but completely out of it as he tried to shake her awake.

"Wendy…hey…Wendy?"

"She's knocked out. Not surprising after all the crap she's been through" Claire observed as she looked down a nearby hallway at Sherry standing near a ladder. Walking near the girl, Kincaid and Cindy were quick to join them as they looked upward.

"This leads to the police station garage" Sherry observed as her finger pointed to a faded sign proclaiming that fact.

"Should we check it out?" Tom asked as he studied the ladder. Unholstering his pistol, he checked his ammunition and scowled. He had used almost an entire magazine against that monster…and he hadn't spotted anymore on the way here. He would have to conserve.

"But what about Wendy? We can't just leave her here, can we?" Cindy asked as she looked up at the closed sewer lid above…then back to the tiny office with the young woman.

"It could be dangerous. And right now, she's safe. I won't be able to fight or cover anybody if I'm carrying a girl. As much as I hate leaving her, she's in no danger right now and this is our only way forward"

"Dammit…!" Claire cursed as she studied the group. Tom was right. At the moment, this was the best place to leave her. Running a hand through her brown locks, she nodded.

"Okay. We check the garage for a few minutes. If its safe, we come back and get Wendy" Claire suggested as the other two adults nodded with assent.

"Stay behind me Sherry" Redfield ordered as she started to climb the rungs, her fingers cooling against the rusted metal. Reaching the top, she pushed against the sewer lid as her muscles strained with effort. Feeling it rise, she was able to peek into the garage with cautious eyes.

It was deserted. No zombies or monsters…just a few police cars in their parking spots. Pushing more, Claire slid the iron manhole cover to the side with a scrape of sound. Climbing up, the female entered the garage as sunlight flowed in from the closed garage gate. Distant sounds of the undead drifted in, but they weren't close.

Panning her vision as the others climbed, all she saw was a few more cars and some unused traffic cones near a different door. Her initial assessment was correct. It was empty.

"We can leave through the garage" Sherry pipped up as the four moved across the silent expanse, their footsteps echoing even louder. Reaching the mesh gate, Claire rattled it as Sherry looked outwards toward the city.

"It needs a keycard, Claire" Cindy observed as the power box nearby hummed with a red light. Looking at Tom, the blonde was unsure what to do as the lone male studied the mesh-like door.

"_No way I can lift this if it's locked. We could try breaking the card reader? No…that would just lock it down…"_ Kincaid tried to think of a possible solution as Cindy and Claire tried to reassure the young girl. Turning toward them, the deputy smiled lightly at how they were trying to be brave for the child. _"Amazing she's still alive…"_

None of them heard Brian Irons slide into the garage as he entered from the elevator hallway with his gun raised. His pink and beady face saw Sherry standing with…them. And he knew what to do.

"Don't fucking move!" The police chief shouted as he got the drop on them all.

Spinning, Deputy Kincaid started to raise his weapon on training instinct as years of police work came into play. He was fast…faster to draw than almost anybody at the Sheriff's station.

"Irons you piece of shit! You killed all those office—"

'**BANG!'**

The police chief didn't waver as he shot this unknown man in the throat as the gunshot echoed through the cavernous garage. Blood flew from the bullets passage, destroying the esophagus in one blow as crimson started to flow down the Thomas's chest. He gurgled…his eyes wide in fear as he collapsed to the floor among a spreading pool of blood.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Sherry shrieked as the police man tried to paw at the wound…but his movements were already slowing as more of his life force left him among the ragged flesh and pumping blood.

"_No…no…no…..not…not like….this…."_

"You…YOU BASTARD!" Claire screamed as she started to raise her weapon. Irons shifted his aim, not caring in the least of the man he just killed as the body finally stopped thrashing.

"You raise that gun and I'll kill you and the blonde. Now come here Sherry"

"No…you hurt Tom…"

Fury burned in his eyes as he fired between Cindy and Claire, the bullet ricocheting into a distant wall as his face grew tight.

"I won't ask again, Sherry. If you don't, I'll kill them both. Now you two, drop your weapons and the backpack" Irons ordered with savagery while Sherry walked over slowly. She had no choice as the two women dropped their meager belongings on the cold concrete.

"Step back!" as he threw a set of handcuffs toward Cindy. "Cuff her"

"Why? Why are you doing this!?" Tom was a good man and he—"

"Shut up. She endangered a child. That's her crime. And he tried to murder the chief of police. Now handcuff her hands behind her back or I kill the kid" He snarled out as he shifted the pistol to point at Sherry.

Cindy gulped…then slowly picked up the handcuffs and clicked them around Claire's wrists. She…she would never forgive herself for letting a young girl die….and Tom. God…it had happened so fast. Another pair of cuffs landed near the waitress's feet as she looked at the murderer.

"Good. Now cuff yourself"

"But I…" Irons ran forward, raising a backhand as he landed a meaty fist against the blonde's cheek. She fell with a cry, looking up at the assaulter with fear in her eyes as her flesh stung. Feeling a few beads of water trickle down her cheeks, Cindy grabbed the cuffs and clicked them on as Iron's gaze softened.

"I'm sorry for hitting you. I can see your still pure...like an angel. I can save you from all this…You'll be a goddess that the world will see among the evil of men" He said with a warm smile…but then it faded as he turned to Claire. "Not you though…you're a whore. A filthy whore that needs to be taught a lesson" Grabbing Claire by the wrist as she cried out, he pushed her near the gate as he fumbled with a keycard. Sliding it into the slot, the light beeped green as the rollers in the tracks started to squeal upward.

"Sherry. Pick up the new angel and walk in front of her" Irons instructed with a wave of his gun. Watching them comply, he grinned before pointing the gun into the brunette's back.

"If you try to run, slut. I'll kill you then your blonde friend and leave your bodies for the dead. But don't worry… If you behave, I'll cure you of the sick deeds you've committed…of this…disease running through your whorish body and mind. You will be given salvation" he trailed off while running a hand against her cheek. Yes…he would save her and cure her at the same time as he watched her ass and hips shift in the tight, biker shorts. _"She really is a whore…but I'll fix that. She will learn"_

Claire wanted to vomit…to run…to do something. But…there was nothing to be done as the gun poked into her back. Tom was dead…Wendy was still unconscious, and they had been captured by a complete psychopath as he followed them onto the wide street behind the station. It had been barricaded at both ends… a tiny safe haven for the now destroyed police force as a few dead moaned and gasped at the distant fencing and concrete barricades. The flashing lights of an ambulance pulsed nearby, casting the day in a surprise of colors as the survivor walked with dread.

Walking into the deserted street, Cindy tried to be brave as she looked backwards with some fresh tears. The garage gate was lowering again, squealing with rust and strain as the body of Deputy Thomas Kincaid lay in a wide pool of cooling crimson. It shut like a final hammer on death row as Brian Irons prodded them on to whatever fate that awaited them in the dead city…

**AND BOOM! DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER! I'll probably get started on part two of this right away after work tomorrow…maybe! Depends how I feel. But I really wanted to try and do everything with this chapter…but it would get stupid long. So, I'm splitting it. I hope you all enjoyed the Nemesis and Birkin fights! After all…I'm sure they can make an appearance again…at anytime hahaha.**

**But seriously…I hope you all enjoy and leave a review to fuel my Happy emotions!**

**Allyssa: I hope the others are alright**

**Elliot: I'm sure they're fine. After all, its only been nine minutes since they left.**

**Marvin: These pills are amazing! *Eats whole box***

**Rita: DON'T EAT THE CARDBOARD TOO!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	8. Escaping the RPD (Part Two)

**Well! Here I am with another chapter of the survival horror! Now I'm going to clarify something based on a review. All Wendy knows of the Raccoon city events is from Natsu, Grey, Sam, and Bisca when I first wrote that oneshot for 'Traveling the Multiverse' She knows of a few of the people and the nemesis…but only from what her four friends told her. If you assume she went to another universe in the past and picked up the RE2 remake…don't. And even if she did play some copy in my main universe…It's completely different with a good Brian Irons and more spread out with several locations in the city! There! Take that loophole! She has no knowledge of future events or what will happen or where or when enemies will show! All she is doing is trying to survive! **

**Also…don't go memorizing the maps from the games. I've taken liberties with them and changed some things.**

**Excuse my rant. But you all know who caused it… *cough cough, Daniel cough***

**But in all seriousness, I hope everybody will continue to enjoy this story since I don't own any media at all.**

**Now…**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Escaping the R.P.D. (part two)**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 10:04 a.m.**

The machinery room continued to hum and rumble, the boilers and pipelines shuddering slightly as nothing moved in the area except the hissing of spent steam and vapor. The destruction from the recent battle with Birkin was still fresh as more of the leaking natural gas wafted silently past the gouges and shrapnel scars. It was silent and deadly…smelling like rotten eggs and sulfur as more and more flowed from the damaged gas line.

A nearby console with several dials was going crazy as alarms silently blared across the screen, the words of danger flashing red as more gas filled the chamber.

High above the room where the former Umbrella scientist had been searching for the young girl named Sherry, several exposed wires had spilled from a panel during one of its frantic climbs of pursuit. They were heavily damaged…frayed as copper was exposed to the air with electricity running through them.

One sparked as it shorted out from the damage…and the gas that had been silently leaking into the subterranean room ignited in a bloom of fire and explosive flame. It raced down the pathway the human's had come from, the gas line bursting in a roar of shrapnel and destruction. Reaching the concrete stairwell in a matter of seconds, the plume of fire roared as the overhead beam cracked from the stress and damage.

Shuddering as massive fires licked along the walls beyond as smoke billowed, the concrete arch collapsed and broke. Landing with a heavy shudder, the hallway to the Machinery Room was completely sealed off as half a ton of concrete and bent rebar supports blocked any chance of passage. But the damage wasn't done as a large stress line raced along the wall in the stairwell before reaching the locked door in the corner. The frame bent and howled in protest as the light, steel door twisted at an odd angle before finally calming down.

Dust billowed and waved through the still air as the only sound heard was the steady burning of fires on the other side of the collapsed hallway to the room of shattered machinery.

It had barely been ten minutes since the others left, and the group was getting restless. They had all taken inventory of their ammunition a minute before, reloading everything they had after finishing off the snacks. They had been famished and thirsty…and the food had done wonders to lift their mood. Then… The floor rumbled and shook, making Allyssa lightly stumble as she braced herself against the wall. Dust rained down from the ceiling, clinging to her blonde hair as the trembling dissipated. Regaining her balance, she looked back at the others who were in a similar state.

"What the hell was that? An explosion?" Edwards asked as he looked around frantically. Eyeing the staircase to the main hall, he breathed a silent sigh as it was still sealed.

"Yeah…and it felt like it came from…" Marvin started to say as Rita gasped.

"Downstairs! The others! What if something happened!?" She said in a loud panic as the reporter started to walk forward as she made her pistol ready. Her side still hurt, but the small rest had done wonders as she pushed the button to recall the old elevator.

"I'm not waiting. I didn't even like them spilting up in the first place. Now let's go, they could be in a bad situation while we sit here eating chips"

Hearing the grate of the elevator slide open, Marvin prepared himself as he gripped the pistol in his hands. "You heard the lady, let's get moving officers" Stepping forward, the bite still throbbed…but nowhere near as bad as he silently gave a small prayer. Wendy had done a decent job stitching up the wound and dressing it as they moved into the elevator. _"I'm not dead yet…looks like those pills actually work…for now anyway"_

Edwards pushed the lone button beginning their descent as old pulley's squealed. The floor vibrated, making the four tense as the aura of the unknown permeated the stifling space.

"Thank god there isn't crappy elevator music" Elliot observed with a light joke, trying to lift the spirits of everybody.

"I'd rather face a zombie. It's always awful. At least I can shoot those things" Allyssa commented as the lift finally came to a rest with a low 'thud' and screech of steel. Something 'popped' like a gunshot from above, spilling light, acrid spoke through the ceiling grate as the machinery died.

"Looks like that's it…not going back that way" Rita informed them as the door slid open and revealed their destination. Smoke and dust filled the room as the shorter women stepped onto the landing with a light cough. Her eyes and throat started to sting as she tried to take in the surroundings.

"Don't breathe it in! Down the stairs!" Marvin ordered as he took charge and started to descend with rapidity. His shoes clicked and resonated, mixing in with the distant crackling of flame as the four hurried past a caved in hallway.

"How much you want to bet the others went that way?" Elliot pointed out before giving a burning cough. The black smoke was rising past them, cutting down visibility as the oxygen supply came under assault.

"Know…knowing our luck…probably" Ashcroft admitted as she looked around with a wheezing cough. There was no way through the pile of shattered ruin and destruction. And even if there was, heat and licks of flame could be observed through the gaps…there was no way through.

"_Dammit Wendy, why didn't you just stay? Always trying to do everything"_ the reporter thought as she turned away from the pile of ruin with heat blasting her back. Soot and ash flowed and belched, and they couldn't stay.

"Through here!" Branagh yelled from the corner as he tried to pry a rendered door of twisted steel open. It howled in protest as Elliot came to assist, both men grunting with exertion as their eyes and lungs burned.

Finally sliding open, the two men moved down the maintenance stairs with their guns drawn as the billowing smoke rose to the ceiling. Walking cautiously, they could feel the two women behind them as dirty lightbulbs hummed above.

The dirty stairwell was long. Descending a good thirty feet as dirty concrete lined the descent into the unknown. A sign pointed downward, bits of rust blocking the old letters. Empty beer can's sat on one step, the owner long gone as they glanced at the sign embedded in the wall.

"The lower sewers…it might be safer than the streets at least? And maybe we can use them to travel to the clock tower" Rita suggested with a bit of hope as Allyssa scoffed.

"Yeah. But it will literally smell like shit" the blonde retorted with a snort from Marvin and Elliot as they continued down the sewer stairs.

"Not wrong about that, Ashcroft" Marvin admitted as bits of dried sweat clung to his forehead. It was stuffy…and humid as they finally reached the bottom after a minute of cautious movement.

A closed door loomed ahead of them at the bottom of the stairs near a few dirty rags, its surface flecked with rust and grime as Marvin moved to the doorknob. Coughing as more smoke filled the stairwell, the police Lieutenant gripped his gun as the others covered him with morbid dread. None of them knew what could be down here…all they knew was that fire was behind them and a suffocating death if they stayed.

He twisted the knob, the latch giving a soft click as he burst through with his gun raised with the others flowing behind them. The stench was horrible, a city's worth of rot and sewage assaulting their senses as they stood on the V-Shaped platform. But…they didn't have time to lament the tear worthy smells of shit as two of the undead toward the right moaned and shifted from the noise.

They had been sewer workers based on the hardhats and reflective, yellow vests as they moved away from a third body on the ground. Spatters of blood and gore covered their uniforms as the left most boasted a ragged bite wound on the neck. It was horribly obvious they had been…eating as a few strands of flesh fell from the mouth of one. Gristle reflected off the lightbulbs as they shuffled forward with infection and hungry eyes from merely fifteen feet away.

Marvin snapped his gun up in an instant as his training came into play from years of muscle memory. Firing, it was a perfect shot as his berretta jumped in his hands. The zombie's forehead bloomed, the projectile destroying the brain in one fell swoop as bits of bone blew outward from the back.

"Great shot old man!" Elliot admired as he and Rita aimed at the second threat that continued to moan and rasp in its staggering march. Neither hesitated as they fired. Two bullets impacted, one in the throat as diseased flesh flew, and the other in the shoulder as it lightly staggered.

"Dammit!" Elliot cursed as he shifted his aim and fired again. The pistol barked flame in the dirty sewer as the bullet flew into the left eye. It burst like a rancid sore in a heartbeat as the damage to the brain killed the monster. Falling in a heap, the survivors grimaced as the third, half eaten man tried to stand up. The intestines had been ripped out…the waist practically severed from the murderous eating the others had done as it rasped and snarled. Pulling itself forward, the gore and intestines left a nightmarish trail as Allyssa moved around it in a sprint.

"Don't waste your ammo on this one" She ordered before stepping on its back. The zombie tried to move, but couldn't as the blonde unsheathed her shotgun. Flipping it, Allyssa brought the butt end down on the cranium as it cracked from the blow. Hitting it again, the zombie gasped and shuddered as bits of blood and brain matter spattered to the floor. Striking a third time, the woman wanted to make sure it was truly dead. Shuddering out a shaky breath, Ashcroft tried to wipe off the gore as the others took in their surroundings.

"_God that was gross! I hope we can link up with the others soon"_

"A door over here!" Rita said loudly from the opposite side as she gave a pull…and it didn't budge. Made of heavy steel, a small window with bars set in the center decorated it as Marvin and Elliot tried to assist. The sealed entrance didn't even shift…not even a millimeter as they gave up.

"Must be locked from the other side" Elliot commented as Marvin cocked an eyebrow.

"You think?" the darker man reasoned as he gave one last glance. "If there's a key or way to open it, it's probably on the other side. I don't see anything we could possibly use to open it aside from dynamite"

"Then where do we…go…?" Rita asked as she looked at the canal of sewage and filthy water nearby. Flowing below the platform of concrete they were standing on, it looked absolutely disgusting. "Great…"

"Sorry Rita. It's that…or stay here" Marvin tried to reassure her as Allyssa moved toward the edge and looked both ways. To the left, a heavy barred gate blocked the path as a pile of refuse had collected and piled up with who knows what in it. But the right path was open as more dirty bulbs flickered from the ceiling. Damp mildew glistened against the walls of brick, adding to the disgusting scene as more garbage floated on top of the brackish water.

"At least you won't be the only one smelling. God…this is gonna be so gross…" Allyssa commented as she gulped…then jumped in feet first.

"Ewwww…" she uttered as the water flowed around her hips. It was cold. It stank and she could actually feel it sloshing between her now soaked shoes. It was a disgusting feeling as the reporter tried to not breathe in the rancid smells. Hearing splashing of water, she turned as the other three joined her in the filth.

"At least it's not waist high…" Marvin said in relief. The last thing he needed was sewage getting into his wound as the liquid lapped around mid-thigh.

"Speak for yourself. I'm short" Rita complained as it reached her mid-driff. A floating piece of…something drifted by, and the officer gulped as she raised her pistol. The flashlight pierced the shadows, giving better illumination as the overhead bulbs flickered.

"Let's get moving. The faster we move, the faster we get out of this crap" Elliot suggested as he started to walk forward…and tried not to think about everything swirling around him.

The group of survivors slogged through the filth and dank water, their movements like an alarm as condensation dripped from the ceiling. Some splattered down, landing on Rita's head as its brackish stench renewed the assault on her senses. They soon came to a fork in the sewer, a second path to their left as more of the filth flowed in the Y-split of the tunnel. Another locked water gate blocked the second path, only giving the survivors a glimpse of refuse piled up against the rusting bars. It left only one way open…straight ahead as more lights flickered.

Shifting their vision forward, they all knew it was the only way as Rita's flashlight stabbed the flickering shadows. Their bodies caused ripples, a small disturbance as they sloshed through another twenty to thirty feet of filth with darting eyes in all directions.

The water shifted and bubbled as Rita's flashlight passed over the dank sewage.

"Stop" she hissed out as her gun slightly shook with the tenseness she felt. Aiming at the spot of movement ten feet away, all the others halted as the only sounds was shallow breathing and the dripping of condensation.

The sewage water burst upward, splashing the four survivors in the vile liquid as a fresh horror broke the surface.

It was large…covered in tumorous masses of red as pinkish flesh made up its skin. Bulbous growths covered its back as a single, tiny arm waved through the air as slick slime dripped down its muscle. But the teeth…it had so many teeth set in a jawline of four mandibles. No visible eyes could be seen…but that didn't seem to matter as it turned toward them while opening its jaws. It's legs…if they could be called that, had completely fused with a horrendous growth as it reared back.

A projectile tongue pierced the air, a smaller set of teeth set on the grisly span of muscle as it came to within a foot of hitting Allyssa. Spittle sprayed across her dirty jacket, the flecks making her cringe as she felt the fear rising. Feeling herself yanked back by Marvin, the blonde woman was horrified as the alien appendage bit the air where she had been.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Elliot yelled out as he moved toward the left side with Rita as the biting…tongue waved through the air. Raising their firearms, both officers squeezed the triggers as echoing gunshots resonated off the walls. It was hard to miss as both slugs hit the creature in the chest, spewing off bits of flesh as it staggered toward them in the rancid sewage around them.

"Try to find a weak spot!" Marvin ordered as he dodged to the right with Allyssa.

"Ashcroft! Now's not the time to be stingy with that shotgun of yours!" the lieutenant shouted as Elliot and Rita each shot off another round toward the bulbous monster. The speeding lead smacked into more flesh, creating a sickening sound as the senior officer stood near a floating piece of filth. Aiming as it continued toward Rita and Edwards, the policeman fired at the discolored lump on the rear leg. It cracked…and Marvin fired again as the pistol spat fire. His side flared from the strain of firing, but he bore through it for the moment. The second round destroyed the protective shell as it shattered and flecked into the dank water. A twitching eye of red and yellow looked around, trying to discern the multiple threats as the needle tongue brushed officer Williams hair.

"AAAAHHH!"

She screamed at the touch, backpedaling near the pile of garbage at the flood gate as she tried to re-assert her aim.

"Oh…that's definitely a weak spot!" Allyssa shouted out as she aimed her Mossberg at the exposed eyeball. Pulling the trigger, the shotgun boomed and spat a cone of steel as her bruises flared. Gritting her teeth as the disgusting eye became a bleeding mess while the monster screeched, the reporter pumped the weapon and fired again.

'**BOOM!'**

The weapon shook her body from the kickback…but it was enough as the hissing shot blew the eye apart in a horrid burst of gore like a rancid pustule. Blood spewed as the monster thrashed…then collapsed in a heap as the corpse listed in the filthy liquid.

"Jesus…jesus…what the hell was that!?" Rita asked in short breaths as her chest rose and fell. She had backed up to the pile of refuse, almost climbing on it as she lightly pushed off a few moments later. The fear of that thing made her want to vomit as her free hand brushed some of the garbage. Feeling a strange box, she turned and saw something that had no business being there. Picking it up, she opened the lid as she slightly relaxed her body.

"Are you alright, Williams? Did you find something?" Marvin asked as he kept an eye on the dead…whatever the hell it was. Elliot was doing the same, not taking any chances as Allyssa quickly reloaded her shotgun nearby. Their faces said it all. Fear and disgust.

"As much as I can be in this situation…" She replied before wiping her brow. Turning, she presented the box to Allyssa.

"Six shells for your Mossberg. Don't know how or why they landed in a pile of garbage down here, but they're dry"

"Thanks Rita" the reporter replied as she took them and stored them in her side pouch with her spare ammunition.

"Let's get moving…and keep an eye out for more of those… things" Marvin lightly lectured as the four started to ease their way past the sewer monster. The survivors elected on more silence, trusting their senses as the cold sewage flowed past them. In less than a minute, they bypassed a small alcove on the right as a small sign read 'Workroom lift' But…strands of flesh covered the door…almost like a horrid nest as something chattered inside on the other side of the steel.

The four unanimously decided not to investigate as the rusting door…thudded. It held, but flecks of dust rained down as the humans hurried on, leaving it behind.

Walking for a good ten minutes, the group of survivors soon heard the sound of rushing water as the current picked up. The sewer line took a light bend as more light came from an unknown source, giving more illumination for their path as they moved cautiously.

It was a waterfall of dirty sewage water, falling from a higher height as the cavernous area ahead was bathed in light…and blocking any advancement.

"Damn. How are we supposed to get past that?" Elliot asked the others as Marvin pointed to the left near the waterfall. More light poured from the raised path as the man urged them on.

"This way. We can climb up" he urged as some speckles and mists of the grungy filth splashed his dirty uniform. Making his way over, he found out it was a long pathway as he grunted before pulling himself up. The wound hurt…it always hurt, but he bore through it as he climbed onto the dry surface.

"Man…I'm glad to be out of that. I felt like I was going to catch cancer or something…" Elliot joked lightly as the two women nodded.

"I swear…the first chance I get I'm burning these clothes and showering for a whole day…a nice, hot shower" Allyssa commented as Rita couldn't help but agree.

A rasping moan came from ahead as the dragging of unsure feet resonated from the distant corner that turned to the right. Stepping into view, it was another sewer worker as its infected eyes locked onto the four humans. He was covered in bites…numerous flays of torn skin and flesh as it started to walk down the narrow pathway with a uneven gait.

Stepping forward, Edwards raised his firearm as the former human came on. Bumping into the side, a trail of dried blood streaked the dirty walls as Elliot fired. The bullet bit off a piece of the skull, the bone fragments splintering as he lightly cursed as the monster came onward.

Firing again, the man found his mark as the speeding lead punched through the bridge of the nose and destroyed the brain behind it in one fell swoop. Hearing the body fall as the casing tinkled, the four waited for any more of the undead.

"I think that was the only one. That gunshot would've alerted more" Allyssa told them all as she started forward with Elliot taking the other side. Their feet squelched and felt…gross, but at least they were on something dry as they moved toward the corner.

Swinging around the corner, both were overcome with the gore speckled horror show that covered the immediate area. Pieces of limbs had been ripped off while hideous claw marks marred the body armor of what had been some heavily armed men.

"God…what happened to them?" Marvin asked with strain in his voice as he eyed the state of their bodies.

"Probably monsters. But the real question is who are they? I can't find any sort of unit markings or identification under…the blood" Allyssa informed as she crouched down near one. The corpse was still clutching an MP5 with one hand…while the other arm had been ripped away. Nudging the body with her pistol, the reporter saw no movement as she breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're dead…dead. I think they died before they could turn" she offered before she picked up the submachine gun. Popping the magazine, she found it empty before she started to check the body once more. _"A black op's team? But what are they doing in the city sewers?"_

"Check the other corpses. If they have some ammunition or supplies, take it. We can't afford not to" Marvin ordered as he moved toward a second corpse with another MP5 nearby. He was familiar with its operation as he checked the weapon magazine and found it full.

"_Must've died before he could fire…"_ The lieutenant thought sadly as he stooped back down to search the many pouches. A flash lit up the bloody corridor, making the three adults jump as Allyssa lightly laughed.

"Sorry. I found a digital camera on this poor bastard. I'm a reporter after all and need pictures if I'm going to win a Pulitzer" the woman lightly apologized as she moved back down and started to search more pockets.

"Woah…four full 9mm clips. Standard issue. We'll be set for a little bit with this" Elliot said with a pleased tone as he moved the bloody, dismembered hand away with a look of disgust.

"You and Marvin take them. I'm good on ammunition for now"

"Take one Rita. After all, I just got this" Marvin smirked as he stood up with the MP5 in his hands. The strap for the weapon hung over his right shoulder, giving him the option of free hands as a bloodied pouch decorated his left hip.

"Nice…It suits you" Ashcroft smirked before taking another picture of the police officers.

"Found four full magazines too. Whoever this poor bastard was…he barely got a shot off" Marvin said in a sorrowful tone as he flicked on the weapons flashlight to test it. It worked, casting the other two officers in bright light. The blood spattered wall was illuminated, painting a horrid picture as Rita picked up one last thing from the third corpse as she tried to wipe the dried blood away. She felt dirty digging through a dead man's pockets…but she had to harden herself to this as she picked up the round explosive.

"Grenade. I'm keeping this"

"Good. Alright, distribute the 9mm magazines evenly and let's get a move on. The clock tower is our destination so let's try to use the maintenance tunnels. Keep an eye out for enemies and anything we can use to ensure our survival" Marvin told them as they did one final search of the bodies…but they had been picked clean by the survivors. Taking a minute to re-establish themselves, the four started to walk forward along the tunnel to face the horrors awaiting them all…

**The office with Wendy…12:19 p.m.**

_Screaming…flashes. Monsters. These were the images the young woman was dreaming about as she ran and fought…killing endlessly as her friends died around her. Stopping to reload, her face contorted in horror at the still corpse of Natsu laying in a pool of blood near Erza and Juvia. The moans of the undead were shambling toward her, hunger in their eyes as some feasted on Bisca and Sam. The sound of tearing flesh was unbearable as a monstrous yell grabbed her attention._

"_**DIE HUMAN!"**_

_A locust charged at her with its lancer saw spinning, plunging it down into her shoulder as her mouth filled with blood and her screams went silent…_

"GAH!"

She burst awake as she automatically reached for her side arm and snatched it up, aiming at the phantoms of the nightmare as her eyes swiveled. It took a few breaths to realize there were no threats as light smoke billowed along the ceiling of the small office.

"Wh…where am I?" she asked herself as she slowly stood up with a groan. It was silent as she continued to look around. Coughing lightly as some smoke entered her lungs, Wendy eyed the door as more wafts of the acrid fumes rose up. The memories of the battle came roaring back as she coughed again before shaking her head.

"Did they…leave me?" she asked herself as her head throbbed from the smoke filling the room. "Ugh…doesn't matter. I need to get out of here" she whispered as she moved toward the hallway on the right. A ladder led upwards, light spilling down from above as the female hurried. Grabbing the first rung, she climbed swiftly as more smoke drifted around her. Pausing at the open manhole, Wendy glanced around…and found herself in the R.P.D. Parking garage as her eyes took in details. Then she spotted the body near the vehicle gateway.

Hoisting herself up, she grabbed her trusty bat as she slowly approached the corpse….but it soon wasn't needed as she reattached it to the magnetized plate on her back armor.

"Oh no…Tom…" Wendy uttered in sadness as she recognized the kind deputy laying in a pool of drying blood. Crouching down, she looked into his lifeless eyes as they stared up at the ceiling in morbid stillness. Wiping gentle fingers downward, she closed his eyes as her gaze settled on the wound in his neck. Touching it lightly, two fingertips came away red as her eyes narrowed.

"This wasn't a zombie bite…who would shoot somebody just trying to survive?" The girl asked herself as she took in more of the scene. Two discarded revolvers lay nearby and Claire's backpack sat on the cool pavement, completely deserted as sunlight poured through the bay doorway. Looking around, she saw nobody. No other bodies or threats…just an empty garage of police cars.

Hinges squealed from behind her, prompting the girl to spin and stand up as she raised her pistol toward the doorway. It swung open…and a woman strode through in a burgundy trench coat and dark shades like she owned the whole station

Wendy gripped the weapon tighter, her glare intensifying. "STOP RIGHT THERE! DID YOU DO THIS?"

The woman halted twenty feet away, her eyes unseen as her head tilted to look at the fallen officer. The older female could be considered stunning with delicate, womanly features as she removed the sunglasses. An ancestry of light Asian descent had given rise to this female as she finally spoke.

"A teenage girl? Still alive in this city?" her beautiful voice questioned as Wendy grit her teeth in annoyance.

"Answer the question. Did you kill Tom? Or take the other two?"

"No. I'm actually one of the good guys" She replied while reaching into her coat.

"Slowly…I will drop you if you try anything" Wendy warned as the other woman nodded. Raising a placating hand, she pulled out a badge as she flashed it toward the teenager.

"Special Agent Ada Wong from the FBI. I was investigating Chief Irons and his link to the pharmaceutical company, Umbrella. Unfortunately, the outbreak occurred and he fled the station"

Lowering her firearm, she kept it pointed at the ground as the agent placed her identification away.

"Wendy Marvell. I was separated from the others after a fight with…Birkin I guess? He was literally a monster and I got knocked out in the machinery room under the station"

The name piqued interest in Ada as she studied the young woman…and found herself slightly impressed. Scratches covered some of the right shoulder while other spatters of gore and strange fluids had dried against the body armor. She was also armed…which told Ada that this girl was a far cut above most young women.

"That's some fine equipment you have there. But tell me, do you know anything about this Birkin man? My sources said he was a top researcher for Umbrella"

"Thanks. My sister got it for me. But sorry, I haven't the faintest clue about him. All I know is that he's very dangerous and…all deformed. Whatever happened to him isn't good" Wendy sighed out before looking at the woman once more. "Listen…we should team up. Watch each other's backs in this hellhole"

"Sorry girl. I have my investigation to complete and I can't do that babysitting. But you seem tough, I'm sure you'll be just fine" Ada lightly smirked as she turned and walked back the way she came.

"Dammit! That's fucking stupid! Safety in numbers!" Wendy shouted out…but the woman was already through the door as it clicked shut. Running forward, she grasped the handle…but it wouldn't budge as the passageway to the jail cells remained locked and silent.

"Great…thanks a lot you bitch…" She snarled out as she turned back to Tom and the scattered belongings across the garage. Taking a few minutes, she collected the weapons and Deputy Kincaid's side arm and ammunition into the backpack before slinging the entire thing over her shoulder. Walking past his stiffening corpse, Wendy studied the scanner for the garage door as a cool breeze flew in through the grate. It carried the smell of ozone…which meant the possibility of rain as she cursed in annoyance.

"Honestly…what kind of FBI agent leaves a teenager alone in a situation like this? That skank" she cursed once more as the red light near the card scanner hummed…then flickered and died. The overhead lights of the garage shut off…then the red emergency lights burst on as the car park was cast in a strange, red glow.

"Perfect…have to find a keycard and turn on the power…fucking awesome…" She said sarcastically as she started to walk toward the corner door near a parked police car. The grated garage door rattled loudly, echoing through the deserted parking lot as a woman's voice punched through the air.

"Hello!? Is anybody there! Please…Please I need…help…Oh god…" she whispered in a light panic as Wendy hurried back.

The woman was young…and beautiful. Cascading blonde hair fell to the middle of her back as she darted her eyes toward Wendy. A dress of white clad her form as large breasts rose from her chest with each heave of air. She wore simple shoes while smudges of dirt covered her cheeks. A rasping moan echoed behind her, making her turn toward the threat.

A lone zombie was staggering down the ramp, its tattered shirt of plaid covered with dried gore as it closed on the busty blonde.

"Please! Open the gate! I don't have a weapon!" She begged as Wendy cursed at the situation. The zombie was stumbling closer, the gap quickly closing as the blonde beat against the garage door. The two women were separated by inches…and they might as well have been on the moon.

"I can't! I don't have the keycard and the powers out! Just…use this!" she ordered as she grabbed Tom's pistol from her backpack and slid it through one of the gaps.

"I…I've never used a gun before!"

"Well its that…or let that bastard kill you! Just aim for the head! I can't get a shot through this damn gate!" Wendy explained loudly as the other woman gulped and turned with the weapon raised. The walking corpse snarled…moving past the bumper of an abandoned police car as its lights sat dark in the October sunlight.

The woman squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the trigger, making the gun almost fly out of her hands as the bullet pinged off the pavement with a loud gunshot.

"You won't hit anything with your eyes closed! AIM FOR THE FUCKING HEAD OR YOUR DEAD!"

Taking a deep breath…the blonde tried her best to stay calm as she aimed at the monster rapidly closing. Squeezing the trigger, she felt the kickback as a round smashed a kneecap in a splintering of bone and cartilage. The zombie fell, but was already crawling forward with bloodied hands.

"Good! Now finish it off!" Wendy encouraged as the other female nodded. Aiming downward as the zombie crawled and scraped its fingers raw on the pavement, it was almost too close for comfort. The gun flashed as the female cried out, but it worked as the slug tore through the brainpan. Spatters of gore sprayed outward as it lay still, a last gasp escaping its cracked and torn lips in finality.

"Oh god…"

"Are you alright? Where did you even come from?"

"No…I'm not alright. My dad told me to hide at our house…but these…things got in and I had to run. I…I didn't stop until I got here. I was hoping the police could protect me…but…" the blonde pointed toward Tom's cooling body as she gripped the handgun tightly.

"That was Thomas Kincaid…he was a good man. And somebody murdered him…I think it was Irons if I had to guess" Wendy stated as she shifted her backpack.

"Police chief Irons? I never liked him…he was always looking at me during some of my father's political parties at the mansion…made my skin crawl"

"I've gathered that from some of the others…I'm Wendy Marvell by the way"

"Elizabeth Warren. My dad's the mayor…but I don't know where he is" she said softly before looking at the younger girl once more. "_What's with the blue hair? Not that I'm complaining since she looks like she's been in some scrapes already…"_

Remembering the pistol in her hands, Elizabeth started to hand it back through the gap before Wendy waved her off.

"Keep it. Tom would be glad it was used to save a life. But I really need to go find a way to open this door"

"But…but what should I do? I can't just…stay out here…" the woman said with a gulp of dread as she looked around.

"Climb in that police car and stay quiet…Or stay there. I really can't do anything about it"

"Um…okay…" She replied quietly before walking past the zombie on the ground. Reaching the drivers side door, it opened with the pull of the handle as the mayor's daughter climbed in with one last glance.

"Please…don't leave me here. Promise to come back"

"I'll do my best" Wendy replied as the busty woman nodded. She couldn't help but notice them shift in the dress…reminding her of a certain blonde back home as Warren climbed in the cruiser and locked the door. Sinking down in the seat, Wendy lost sight of her as she sighed.

"How the hell did she survive this long…?" she thought to herself as she re-approached the door. Looking toward the wall on the right, she saw a layout of the basement level with the parking lot highlighted. Studying it for a few moments, she memorized it with ease.

"Oh…it looks like the generator room is straight ahead" She reasoned while hoping it would be easy…but highly doubted it as she pulled the door open.

Bathing red light flooded the dark hallway, painting a picture of sinister intentions as the emergency lighting hummed away. Raising her pistol on instinct, Wendy let her eyes adjust to the crimson gloom before stepping forward with cautionary steps. Scattered papers and other discarded items from the past littered the floor as she scanned the hallway around it.

It was clear…but she couldn't help but feel dread creep up her spine as she glanced down the hall toward the kennels.

"Really hope there's no zombie dogs in there…" the girl whispered as she started to walk toward the generator room. She passed the firing range, her curiosity low for the moment as the doorway remained closed on her left. Her boots scuffed and clicked against the concrete, sounding like gunshots as she walked toward an intersection. Sliding up to the corner, Wendy peaked around as she expelled a small breath of relief.

It was just a sealed emergency door that led to the first floor…but without power it wouldn't rise at all…which led to her next problem. The actual hallway she needed clear had been piled high with old benches, wood paneling, and anything that could be used as a barricade. Essentially, it had been sealed.

"Dammit" she cursed once more as she turned around. Red images seemed to shift, adding to her stress as Wendy gripped the doorknob for the firing range.

"_Might as well. There could be some left over ammunition at least" _she reasoned to herself while pushing the door open.

The stench of rotting flesh assaulted her nostrils as Wendy moved into the crimson lit room while the horrendously familiar sound of muscle and skin tearing reached her ears. Moving toward the closest firing booth, the girl gulped at the familiar sight. Two zombified officers were tearing at the body of a third, their jaws snapping and slurping as the coagulated blood covered the floor beyond. The crimson red was almost sickening with how slick it looked as one of the undead pulled off a large piece…and chewed.

They were distracted for now as she slowly stepped away, trying to remain like a silent mouse as she fought down the urge to throw up from the horrible sight.

One of them looked up from its meal, a hoarse moan escaping the bloodied and torn lips and ravaged throat as the former male started to stand. It had spotted her as the other officer had been a woman. A jagged tear was along her left collarbone…strands of flesh and cloth dangling in the light as they started to shamble towards her.

"Shit…"

Raising her pistol as the man shuffled his feet, Wendy had the laser sight on his forehead in an instant before pulling the trigger. The sound reverberated off the walls as the spent casing fell, but the firearm did its job as the policeman's head snapped backward with a spray of gore. He dropped to the floor like a crumbled sack, completely ignored by the woman as the third body started to shift.

The former brunette bumped against the wall for the firing line, her hands grasping at Wendy who simply took a step back with a teasing grin despite the horror of it all.

"Sorry, can't touch this! Now its hammertime!" she said loudly as the pistol barked and destroyed the bridge of the woman's nose in a desolation of cartilage and diseased blood. Ignoring the body as it slumped over the low wall with a final gasp, Wendy shifted toward the next alcove. Looking at the third body as it started to move more, she jumped over the low wall and landed in the firing pit.

"Really Wendy? Hammertime? The fuck is wrong with you?" She asked herself as she switched to her bat. Raising it high as the disemboweled man struggled and moaned with clawed hands at her feet, she brought it down as it crunched the balding cranium. Grimacing as she felt it crack under her force, Wendy had to make sure to kill it as she swung three more times to finish it off with the sound of broken bone ringing in her ears.

Stepping back as the job was done, she tried to ignore the red shadows of the room as they seemed to close in. Shaking her head, Wendy moved to the first officer as she started to search the corpse. There was nothing on him as she moved to the female who was slumped over the low shelf. Patting down the pockets, she felt a surge of joy…and disgust as she dug into the left pocket. Grasping seven loose 9mm bullets, Wendy stored them away in her pouch as she moved toward the small office.

It was empty of threats as a rotting meal sat on the desk nearby. Some bugs were crawling over it, adding to her disgust. Opening a drawer, the girl lightly smiled as she spotted the small flashlight stashed near some tape and staples. Picking it up, she flicked it on as the beam bore through the red and gave a small sense of security.

"Probably it for this room…better get a move on" she urged herself as she quickly exited the firing range and stepped back into the main hallway bathed in crimson. Flicking on the light, she draped it over her gun hand as she started toward the dog kennels with fear in her heart.

"_If they're infected and loose…" _her inner voice claimed as her body shuddered at the thought. Coming to the corner, the teenager didn't hear anything as she slowly took a peek. Stifling a groan at another pile of barricaded furniture and tables, she knew that the only way toward the generator room now was through that damn room….with the dogs.

Trying to push down her uncertainty as the memories of the last encounter raced through her mind, she slowly approached the door…and gulped at the sight of scratches and spattered blood reflecting of the beam of light. She ignored the bit of sweat dripping down her bangs as she turned the knob slowly. Pushing the door open as quietly as possible, Wendy didn't hear a single howl or bark from the kennels…and soon found out why as a familiar sound filled her ears.

'_HHhhhiiisssss….'_

Snapping her flashlight and firearm up toward the ceiling in a snap of movement, Wendy felt a new wave of terror fill her heart as a licker sat on the ceiling in the middle of the room. It's lance-like tongue waved through the air, searching for victims as another low hiss came from the left wall. Shifting her vision and flashlight, another of the lickers was on the floor in the corner as it…ate one of the police dogs with a renewed tearing of flesh. It was sickening. Something Wendy prayed she would never get used to as she gulped heavily.

"_OH…FUCK! I'd rather face zombie dogs than these monsters!"_ She reasoned as the one on the ceiling started to claw its way to the right side of the kennel where the dogs…had slept. Her flashlight cast a glow over the canine corpses, the torn and ripped open bellies adding to the stench of fear as the crimson emergency lights bathed the walls red like the blood around her.

Taking a cautionary step forward, Wendy wanted to run…she wanted to scream at the sheer…terror running through her veins. But…she stopped herself from doing that as her boot didn't make a sound. Another half dozen silent steps had her in the middle of the room as the second genetic horror continued to eat in the corner. The snapping of bone and sinew made her flinch…but she stayed silent as more drips of sweat and fear covered her forehead.

"_That's it Wendy, nice and slow. Just don't make a sound…"_

She reached the far wall as she slowly turned right toward the small steps to take her out of this horrible place.

'_HIIISSSSSSS!'_

One of them was hugging the wall barely five feet away on her right, its razor talons dug into the cinderblocks as its tongue wavered just inches from her face. The grisly, exposed muscle was sinister and vile…and it was the guardian to the door down the short hallway.

Her heart seemed to jump in her throat as the appendage flicked and wavered near her head as she slowly…very slowly shifted past the predator. Keeping her gun aimed on the exposed brain as she moved in a wide arc, the licker continued to test the air as she moved past. If this thing could smell fear…she would've already been dead.

Walking backward for a few steps, Wendy turned to face the door as her flashlight lit it up like the entrance to heaven. More silence as she walked. In fact, Wendy didn't dare breathe as the clicking of claws resonated behind her. Taking a glance, her mind felt more terror as the monster slowly stalked along the wall…following her.

"_Don't think about it…your almost there…"_ the teenager tried to reassure herself as the door drew closer and closer with each step.

The clicking continued…then stopped as the horrifying monster halted and tasted the air again. But Wendy had reached the door as she slowly opened it…and stepped through. Closing it with a soft click, she immediately expelled a breath of air as she grasped her knees.

"Holy fuck! I mean…Fuck that was terrifying! Three of them! In one enclosed room!?" She gasped as she expelled the fear and bundle of nerves. Taking a few more deep gulps of stale oxygen, she slowly stood up before wiping the sweat from her brow.

Regaining her composure, Wendy raised her flashlight and pistol as they punched through the crimson gloom. The hallway lead to a door labeled 'Morgue' but the young woman bypassed that for the moment as she turned down the hallway…and stopped in her tracks.

"Seriously…ANOTHER FUCKING BARRICADE!" she roared out as she stared at the shutter that had been closed and thus, blocking her advancement toward the Generator Room. Marching forward, she tried to find some sort of handhold or grip…but found none. Trying to lift it with a grunt of effort and light cursing, she gave up when it didn't budge at all.

Stepping back, she lightly kicked the gate as it rattled and shook…but didn't budge. Studying her surroundings for a pry bar or something to use, her gaze settled on a small panel in the wall. A square notch was set in the center as a small sign sat above the panel.

**Don't remove crank!**

**For emergency uses only!**

"Oh…So I need a crank…might as well check the body garage first" the girl reasoned as she turned back and moved toward the morgue. Sliding up to the door, the girl took a deep breath to steady her nerves as her heartbeat seemed to flood her ears.

"At least my headache is mostly gone…so you know. A win" she told herself as she pushed the door open. Moving in, she immediately detected the scent of medical chemicals and sterile soaps as the storage doors reflected her flashlight. They were closed, silent. To be honest, she had half expected the room to be filled with the undead as a corpse lay on the center slab…most likely waiting for an autopsy that would never occur.

A body was slumped against the wall on her left, its clothing doused in red light as she moved rapidly to the corner. It didn't move as she let out a small gasp of surprise, but Wendy would not take the chance. Switching to her metal bat, the girl didn't hesitate to swing the weapon like a baseball slugger. It crunched against the corpses face, inciting a grunt of infection as the zombie started to move from the trancelike state it had been in.

"Batter up!" the blunette cried again as she swung with hate. The melee weapon crushed the nose, breaking the cartilage as some shoved up into the brain from the blow. Teeth had cracked as some spatters of gore flew.

Another insidious moan reverberated around the room as she darted her eyes toward the body on the central slab. It was twitching…starting to raise its arms among the bathing, red light as the girl sprinted forward. Raising the bat, she swung down with all her might as the blow crunched against the skull. The monster groaned and flailed, trying to find its attacker as Wendy grit her teeth and swung a second time.

"Goodnight!" was her final shout as the forehead caved in among the shattered bone and destroyed brain matter. The reddish hue of the room made it worse as speckles of blood covered the autopsy table as Wendy took a deep breath of chemical air.

'_Thump! Thump!'_

One of the hatches that stored the bodies shook, vibrating on the hinges as she flicked the flashlight to gaze upon it. Set in the far wall, Wendy slowly walked around the table as it rumbled again.

"A million jewel says it's a zombie…" she told herself as she switched back to her pistol in mid-step. Approaching the hatch, the girl could definitely hear clawing and rasping coming from inside. Gripping the handle, she knew she would have to be quick as she readied her firearm.

Yanking it open, the stench of a rotting body assaulted her nose as diseased arms covered with bites and scratches clawed for her. A face missing patches of skin while maggots crawled into the snarling mouth almost had her gag as the zombie saw the warm human.

The pistol jumped in her hands as she aimed pointblank into the top of its skull. Brain matter flew among the noise and gun flash, ending its existence in a heartbeat as it lay still. Lowering the pistol, Wendy almost missed the reflection off her light as something lay near the corpses right hip. Moving toward it, she couldn't believe her luck. A square crank was laying near him as she picked it up with mild curiosity.

"Seriously? How the hell did this get in here?" she asked the room of dead people as she looked around. The other morgue cabinets could have more to find…and she could spare a few minutes anyway. Setting the crank down on a nearby table tray with medical tools, Wendy moved to the first hatch near the wall and flung it open.

Nothing. Just a cold slab as she moved onto the next. Two more would bear similar results until she reached the second to last along this wall. Pulling the metallic door open, her face gained a grin as a box of 9mm bullets sat right there like nobody's business. Ejecting the magazine from her pistol, she also reached toward the empty one she had stashed away hours ago. After all, finding spare magazines for her type of weapon might be harder to come by than the standard issue prevalent in the city.

Opening the ammunition box, the girl began to hum to herself as she started to reload the fresh find of fifteen bullets along those seven from earlier. It took a few minutes, but she was now at three full mags again as she stored the filled magazines in her pistol pouches. With that done, she strode over to the other wall as she opened the first metal hatch.

Bugs crawled out. A whole mess of them as they scattered and scurried away in the red light as Wendy flinched.

"Gross" she uttered before moving onto the next. The rest were empty as she approached the last one near the morgue doorway. Gripping the handle, it clicked under her hand pressure as the young woman swung it open.

"Holy crap! Now I'm really glad I searched! Still…why would these things be here? It's like somebody ran around just storing random things everywhere…" She briefly wondered as she shook her head.

"_Don't get distracted. Elizabeth and the others need your help. And Irons is still out there doing who knows what…" _she concluded before looking at her find.

A box of M79 grenade shells…six of them. A first aid spray and a grouping of six .357 bullets sat on the cold steel as Wendy grabbed them up. The grenade shells went in the backpack along with the first aid canister while those .357's found a way into her side pouch. Eyeing the hip container, she pulled out her defunct portal gun…and sighed. Moving toward the table with the crank, she slowly took it apart with practiced ease.

The power source was undamaged…but couldn't hold a charge as two important components sat in ruin. Pulling them out, the girl sighed as she tossed them away.

"Awesome…so I need a tachyon focuser and a particle condenser to make this work again…where the hell can I find something like that? And even if I found them, I would still need to wait for the portal gun to recharge…shit" she cursed in annoyance as she replaced the housing and placed the valuable technology back in her pouch. Once again…she hoped the creature that stranded her in this hell died a horrible death.

"Fucking END…stranding me here cause he's too fucking stupid to operate a microwave. I hope he chokes on a whole bag of cocks…useless fucktard" She hissed in horrendous fury at the demon that stranded her from returning home. Her thoughts drifted to those she cared about…and hoped they were looking for her back in her home reality despite the ongoing war.

"I promise I'll make it back to you all…" she whispered. Taking another breath of chemically fused air as the emergency lights flickered off and on for a moment, Wendy knew she had to get moving. Double checking that she had everything with her, she grabbed the crank and left the morgue in a hurry.

Moving down the hallway as the lights flickered on and off, she dreaded being caught in complete darkness as the emergency lighting continued to strobe around her. Placing the crank in its appropriate slot, she gripped the handle with both hands as she exerted muscle and valuable energy.

The emergency gate started to slide upward, the squeal of rust and unoiled metal shrieking in her ears as she grunted and cursed with the effort. Finally raising it enough after a few minutes to duck underneath, Wendy crouched down and scurried to the other side. The metal barrier stayed in place, three feet off the ground just as the emergency lights failed.

Casting the hallway in complete darkness, she switched on her light once more as the cone of illumination pierced the veil surrounding her. Taking a step forward, the girl tried to ignore the permeating dread she felt as she passed the light over the passage.

Nothing moved…no threats of monsters or zombies could be seen as her boots echoed in the silence. Reaching her destination, Wendy opened the door to the generator room. It was just as dark, the shadows cast by her flashlight making everything a possible threat as she stepped in.

The generators themselves were protected by a chain-link fence of mesh in the middle of the room, their machinery silent as the girl shifted forward. Turning at the left corner, the path led further into the darkness as she crushed the dread filling her heart.

It opened up into a larger alcove as the flashlight passed over a console with a few dim lights blinking along the far wall. Hurrying over, she glanced at two gauges as four switches sat below them. A small, taped note was hanging to her left as she quickly scanned it with her eyes.

**Both meters must be in red before restarting generators! Don't flip the main switch by the generators before that! Failure to follow these instructions will lead to catastrophic power failure for the station!**

"Seems easy enough…" Wendy whispered as she shined the light on the gauges. Flipping a switch, the needle jumped before settling in the middle. Flipping another, she saw a different effect as the needle fell back.

"Okay…I think I got it" she told herself after a minute of multiple switch flipping. The needles of both readouts had settled in the red.

The chain link fence rattled, shifting as the stench of rot suddenly permeated the air with a hungry gasp. Spinning with her gun and flashlight, the cone of illumination settled on the undead electrician inside the cage as it beat against the locked fence door. A grisly wound of torn flesh dangled from his lips and cheek, exposing the bone underneath as the jaws snapped.

It beat against the fencing again, snarling as Wendy took careful aim.

'_**Bang!'**_

The room lit up from the gunshot as the bullet sprayed gore and shattered bone from the exit wound in the back of the head. The fingers dragged and caught on the metal links, catching the body in mid fall as the doorway sagged from the weight.

"At least that one was easy" Wendy told herself as she used the barrel of her gun to uncurl the rancid fingers. Dropping to the concrete in a heap, the corpse lay still as Wendy slowly opened the gate and stepped in. Stepping on some bone fragments from the skull, she tried not to think about the gristle as she approached the large switch in the gloom. Grasping with both hands, she squeezed the handle with all her might as she pushed it upward. Locking into place, the machinery around her started to shudder and hum as they returned to life.

Overhead, the florescent lights started to flicker before gaining full power and humming away with electrical contentment. Grinning at a job well done, she was about to turn before spotting a note on the floor. Some blood had spattered on it, but most could still be read as the girl picked it up and started to read.

"_I've been stuck down here for…three days. The cops…they hightailed it upstairs after the jail cells got over-run and those…skinless things killed the dogs. Can't really blame them. I mean, who would want to stay and fight those monsters. But…fuck, I need water and food. The human body can only survive so long without it. I had a plan worked out, but it fell apart. That bastard Derrick, the bosses nephew that thinks he's top shit?…he ran off upstairs with the keycard to escape this deathtrap of a basement. We could've both left through the garage, but that fucker left me to die down here. I…shit…somethings at the door. I be—"_

There was too much blood after that, but now Wendy knew of a lead for the keycard she needed to escape. Letting it drop, she moved out of the room before emerging in the well lit hallway a minute later. Backtracking the way she came, the teenager paused at the door to the kennels as she holstered her pistol. If anything, the .357 would be the only thing to stop those skinless horrors in one shot as she pulled it out and gripped it tight in her hands.

Steadying her nerves, Wendy took a deep breath before slowly opening the door. It only made it halfway open before butting up against something. Something that hissed and snarled with anger.

The Licker spun in the small hallway, instantly homing in on whatever had struck its hind leg as the tongue jutted out like a lance. It's muscles and exposed brain were dripping with fluid…a nightmare of flesh in the light as it's eyeless face homed in on her.

"Oh Fuck!" the teenager cried out as the piercing organ sliced away a few strands of her blue hair. The strands wafted down in the brightly lit kennel, but she didn't have time as she snapped up the magnum in a flash.

'_**SHHHHRIIIIEKKKKK!'**_

The licker let out that horrible sound like nails on a chalkboard as it rose back on its haunches just five feet from Wendy as the claws dug into the cold concrete. They left horrible gouges as the teen could hear the resounding monster calls from further in the kennel. She fired, the .357 bucking in her hands as the kickback reverberated up her limbs.

The heavy round tore through the brain, spattering the matter over the surrounding floor as bits of chunks spattered the walls. The noise rang in her ears, but she didn't have time to waste on that as she reached into her pouch and pulled her only flashbang free.

Yanking on the pin, she breathed in fear as the two other skinless abominations scuttled around the corner. They weren't even on the floor…but the ceiling and wall as they raced across the surfaces. Wendy threw the blue canister as she squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears.

It blew, the sound and light bursting in the room as the lickers screeched in pain from the stunning noise. Even with her eyes shut, she could see the spots under her eyelids as she slowly opened them seconds later. The lickers were down, thrashing and randomly biting at each other as their senses tried to make sense of what happened.

"_NOW! RUN!"_ she urged as she pumped her legs. Running past them for all she was worth, her heart beat in dread as one of them hissed and clawed at her feet. Jumping over the swipe, Wendy didn't even know one of the tongues had missed her torso by inches as she rounded the corner.

'_**SHHHRIIIEKKK!'**_

One of them howled, homing in on her footsteps as she ran across the gore strewn kennel. Almost slipping on some intestines from one of the canine's, she randomly hoped it had already passed before it met such a fate. Wendy regained her footing and sprinted with all the speed she could muster as the exit loomed. Reaching it, she burst through as one of the lickers jumped after her. Slamming it shut, some of the claws screamed against the metal as she braced her body against it.

"Dammit…that was worse than the first time…I don't think I'd survive a third…" she heaved out as her chest rose and fell. The monsters howled inside, but didn't try to force the door as Wendy stepped away moments later. Switching out for her pistol, she hurried away from the door as her boots clicked against the cool concrete around her. She wanted to get out of this damn place…just get out of this fucking station that was nothing but monsters. Coming to the intersection near the firing range, the sound of groaning metal and squeaky wheels grabbed her attention. Investigating the noise, the fifteen year old was surprised to find the emergency shutter to the first floor slowly rising upward.

"Must've been on automatic" She concluded as her feet took her forward. Approaching the stairwell, she pointed her gun upwards as light poured down from above. Taking her time, Wendy was taken aback as she found herself in the same hallway herself, Jill, and Allyssa had used to enter in the middle of the night. Shattered glass littered the floor as daylight poured in…but no undead were seen as she glanced to her right. A doorway sat there, labeling the break room as she moved to open it.

Stepping inside, Wendy balked at the familiar stench of a dead body. Her eyes watered from the horrid smell, her vision already studying the corpse sitting at the break room table. It was another electrician with a horrid bite on his left shoulder. The blood had leaked through and dried…attracting the stench of flies as they buzzed and crawled over the pallid face.

A spatter of gore had splashed against the nearby lockers as the hole in his temple glistened in the light.

"At least I won't have to deal with his undead ass" Wendy quipped as she approached the body. A pistol had dropped to the floor, empty as a keycard and spare magazine sat on the coffee table among spoiled food. Cringing as the stench grew even worse, Wendy snatched up both items as a small smile adorned her face. The magazine was full and the card was what she needed to leave this damned station.

**Garage Passcard**

It shimmered in the light as she stepped away from the body, noting that she should check for anything else. Not bothering with the lockers that were…padlocked, Wendy checked the back as more finds presented themselves on the lowest bunkbed for the nightshift.

A box of .38 bullets and two water bottles. Realizing she was parched after the adventure and…horrific stress, Wendy promptly chugged one down as her throat greedily took the liquid. Saving the other for later, it went into the backpack along with the twenty fresh bullets in the box.

"I'm sure Claire will have a use for those…Now, time to get the fuck outta here" Leaving the dead body and break room behind, the teenager was back in the parking garage in two minutes as no monsters or threats made themselves known. Moving to the power box, the light hummed red as she used the keycard.

Sliding the card into the reader, it beeped green as the garage door started to rise on un-oiled tracks. Clanking and squealing, Wendy ducked down and out as she moved toward the police car outside. Tapping on the window, she saw Elizabeth practically jump in her seat.

Opening the cruiser door, she stepped out with a grim look on her face.

"I was worried something had happened"

"Not quite…just a lot of crap to get through. Seriously…there was some dangerous stuff"

"So…what now?"

"Now, we find my friends and the bastard that shot Tom in the throat. Do you have any idea where they could have gone?"

"I…I'm sorry. I came here through some of the alley's near the gun shop. It was the only way aside from climbing those wired barricades" Elizabeth explained as Wendy nodded.

"Then that's the way we go. Follow me and stay close" Turning, both women started up the ramp as the October sky started to cloud over. The sun was being blocked out…and they both could smell the possibility of rain as they moved onto the street.

Abandoned police cruisers and a swat van sat abandoned…even a department tank used in heavy riots was sitting there near an ambulance. But no bodies. Neither of them could tell where the police had gone…but most were probably dead as they walked along. Weaving past a few abandoned cars along the street, the duo passed Kendo's gun shop…and it had been completely ransacked and looted.

"Should we check it out?' Elizabeth asked as she gripped her pistol in anxiousness.

"No…I doubt we would find much. Plus, I'm already pretty well equipped" Wendy replied as she turned her gaze to the construction site that had taken up half the roadway. The beginnings of maintenance tunnels could be observed, but she had a suspicion her companions didn't go that way. Continuing her pace, both women approached the open gateway to the alleyway beyond.

Metal stairs beckoned, leading up to a second floor emergency walkway as the blunette took point. The stairs rung with each step, resounding and clanging as the soft sound of distant thunder rumbled. Increasing their pace, both females started to run along the raised platform that ran between the buildings. It turned twice, bypassing darkened windows before they came to another descending staircase.

Distant sounds of the infected passed on the breeze as fires blazed uncontrolled in the far distance as both women gazed. Numerous basketball and tennis courts took up the area between several buildings as a few of the undead stumbled and weaved on the pavement. At the farthest edge, they could see an orphanage sitting behind a heavy, wooden gate as two lone zombies shuffled around.

"Okay…they look pretty spread out. Don't use your gun unless you have too" Wendy instructed as she double checked her own weapon.

"Are you sure we should go this way? My house is…over…there…" Liz started to say as she pointed toward the distant neighborhood that was currently in flames. "Nevermind" the blonde relayed as Wendy started to descend the metallic steps.

"Yeah…I'm not fire proof. Our best bet is that orphanage" the teenager reasoned as she moved toward the first tennis court. A zombie loitered in the far corner in a drunken stupor as both females started to run for all they were worth. Swerving though the gated doors and past the lone infected, the two females couldn't believe how easy this was as they had already made it halfway. Shoes and boots pounded the pavement, interrupted by the random moan of the undead nearby as both kept a sharp vigil.

Elizabeth's large breasts bounced, annoying her as she ran next to Wendy as she idly thought. _"I was really hoping to be saved by a handsome cop…a brave one. I'm sure he'd appreciate my running…but Wendy did give me a weapon and seems to know what she's doing"_ The rich girl told herself as they ran past the crumpled bus. The body of the driver hung over the front windshield as the chest was a mess of ripped organs. It grunted, spurning the blonde faster as the flesh orbs continued to heave in her bra. Weaving through the area with startling ease, the duo of females made it to the orphanage in just a few minutes as the nearest infected started to stumble toward them. Wrenching the gate open, both survivors sprinted inside before locking it with time to spare.

"These damn things…always in the way" Warren lightly complained as she grabbed her bust.

Letting out a small laugh, Wendy just shook her head as they took a step forward across the manicured lawn.

"I know for a fact that mine will be D-cups in a few years. The boys will love them…and be terrified of me…" the girl promised as she clenched her fist. Only one man would be worthy of her adult body when the time came.

"They won't be as great as you think. Old men always stare…or try to accidently grope you, it's very annoying" Elizabeth stated as she crossed her arms underneath the ample bosom.

"Meh. I'll just kick them in the balls then" Wendy shrugged as she studied the double doors to the building…

Brian Irons just finished tightening the rope on the brunette whore as her head slumped against her chest. It had been risky getting all three females to his sanctuary, but they had cooperated with the threat of death looming over them all. Of course, the brunette had cursed and snarled at him the entire time. Luckily, A quick rag of chloroform over her mouth had silenced her in seconds. Speaking of her mouth…

"_I'll fuck the whore out of her. She will learn her place. But the other…"_ He thought as he studied the passed out blonde tied to the second chair in his taxidermy parlor. Her curves were…magnificent. A true beauty as the low electric lights burned around him. Stuffed birds and animals lined the wall, his work from years past as he studied the metallic table he would soon use.

"A shame I can't taint her…the fear in their eyes is always exquisite—" His musings were interrupted by a small alarm that beeped at the desk in the corner. Cursing at the interruption, he hefted his body over to the monitors that assessed the lawn outside.

Two females…standing on the front lawn as they lightly talked about something. One was shorter…with blue hair as she adjusted a backpack over her shoulder. She carried a pistol, pointing it lightly toward Brian snarled.

"Blue hair? She's obviously a slut…some goth, devil worshipper that spreads them for anybody. But the other…" He sneered while eyeing the voluptuous blonde.

"The mayor's daughter…She never returned my advances…that pig. I know she's a bitch…a piece of meat for my collection. But…I'll be able to have fun with her…then cure her of the slut mind she currently holds"

Knowing what he had to do, Irons picked up the pistol as he hurried out of the room and down the red carpeted hallway. Some daylight poured through the windows, but the sky was turning dark as thunder rumbled. Moving into the main hall, he glanced upstairs to where he had stored Sherry in one of the rooms.

"Maybe I'll make her watch…" Shaking his head, Irons hurried to the front doors as he hurled them open with robust strength. Raising his pistol, he stepped on the front step as he aimed down the sights.

The police chief was here…and he had just burst out the doors with no warning while waving a gun around. His face was a contortment of anger and madness as he aimed toward the mayor's daughter with sadistic glee.

"I found you now, pig!" He yelled out as thunder and lightning flashed above like the bowels of hell.

"LIZ! Look out!" Wendy shouted as she pushed the girl out of the way with a harsh shove that sent her falling to the ground in a tumble. Iron's firearm barked, the bullet crossing the space in an instant as it smashed into the armor on Wendy's left side. The Kevlar held up against the 9mm slug, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch.

She grunted, the air leaving her lungs as she raised her pistol in a desperate attempt to kill this bastard. Getting shot…fucking hurt. And there was no place to run and try and weather the madman as her left hand immediately tried to comfort the fresh pain.

Firing her own weapon, it barked and jumped in her right hand as the spent casing flew away. The bullet grazed his shoulder, eliciting a cry of renewed rage as fresh blood leaked from the torn flesh.

"You...YOU FUCKING WHORE!" He screamed in righteous fury as he fired again at the blue haired girl who was trying to line up another shot.

Wendy never felt the second bullet as it struck the right side of her skull. Spinning as droplets of blood flew, she fell to the grass in a crumpled heap…and didn't move.

"W…WENDY! HOLD ON! I—" Elizabeth screamed out as Irons ran forward past the fallen fifteen year old. Pointing his gun at the blonde's head, his voice was like the devil as she looked up like a deer in the headlights at the monster with blood leaking from the fresh bullet. But he didn't even seem to care as he studied her figure.

"Yes…that's the look I love. Keep giving me those eyes as I cure you…" He smiled before fishing out a bottle from his pocket.

"_Oh god! What do I do? What do I do!?" _the mayors daughter thought in horror and panic as her gun lay in the grass five feet away. It had fallen from her grasp during her fall…and the police chief was right there.

"You try and I'll kill you here and now just like your little friend. Now, behave and smell this"

"Wha—" she barely got out as the horrid hands pressed the bottle under her nose. It acted fast…too fast as her vision swam and became blurry.

"No…wh…what's goi-" she passed out from the chloroform, her supple form falling to the grass as Brian smiled. Holstering his pistol, he stooped down and picked up the female while licking his lips. Carrying her over his good shoulder as her breasts pressed against his back, Irons scowled as his right shoulder throbbed and bled.

Glaring at the fallen girl, he had half a mind to put more bullets in her…but that would be wasteful as thunder boomed above. A snap of lightning shattered the sky, prompting him to forget the petty revenge. After all…he had three women to play with. An angel…a whore…and a pig. Sauntering into the orphanage as the blonde's arms hung limply, the police chief closed and locked the double doors behind him. And moment's later, the sky opened up as the heaven's wept for the dying city as the rain fell on the forgotten girl as fresh blood leaked from her head…

**Boom! And everybody has escaped from the R.P.D! Heh…I bet some of you are mad at me for that cliffhanger! Well…too bad! Mwahahaha! **

**As for my next update…I'm thinking Mira and co. I'm sorry it's not the COG, but it takes more to think of everything for that story. Plus…I'm on a roll with No Hope, No escape! So please read, enjoy, and review!**

**Leon: Man…I wasn't in this chapter at all!**

**Jill: That's because your thinking of having sex with me**

**Leon: Um…no?**

**Jill: Liar. You just stared at my tits for this whole conversation!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	9. The Streets of Raccoon

**Well, here I am with another chapter of No Hope! I'm sure you all remember the last few moments of the last chapter! Haha!**

**But really, nothing that much to report other then the weather is cooling and Fall is here so…more writing I guess? I have been playing Gears 5 of course…and stuck on that damn Matriarch…who is a total bitch haha. But, if your reading this, I did update Shifting recently as well so check it out!**

**I still don't own any media**

**Now prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**The Streets of Raccoon**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 11:13 a.m.**

Leon picked up the crowbar from the floor, its weight reassuring in his hand as the man gave one final glance around the garage he and Jill resided in. It had been an excellent place to rest and recoup, but in terms of supplies…there hadn't been much.

A few warm bottles of water and bags of chips found in the office had been split among them, tiding them over. But aside from that and this blue painted crowbar, there had been zero supplies.

Walking toward the door as Jill looked at him expectantly, the female officer couldn't help but notice the metal in his hand.

"New toy to play with?"

"Heh. You could say that" the rookie replied as they took a small pause at the door. Glancing at the attractive brunette, Leon gave a slow nod as he gripped the doorknob. It swung open with a low squeal of rusting hinges, bathing them in falling rain as the heavens graced them with a downpour.

The road was deserted…almost clear as a sewer construction site had dug up half the pavement to their right. Beyond, a concrete and barb wire barricade ran across the boulevard, most likely erected by the police in days past. The chain link rattled from a zombie, its fingers clawing to try and find a way to the two humans it had just spotted.

"Ignore it. Not like it can get to us anyway" Jill stated as the rain soaked her clothes in moments. Water dripped down from her bangs, cascading down her flawless skin as Leon nodded…and looked away from the taught tube top that seemed to enhance her breasts.

"_Did it get tighter?"_ he asked himself as they started to walk past a literal pile of cars situated across the side street between the police station and garage. It was an effective barricade…but with all the monsters crawling around, it was no surprise it failed. Shoes splashed through puddles as the two moved on, passing along the deserted road.

Thunder rumbled above as lightning flashed, painting the street in a bright glow for a single moment before it faded and left the drab faces of structures in the gloom. It almost felt like night had fallen with how dark the clouds were as another bolt of lightning arced across the sky.

Walking past another abandoned cruiser as the rain beat his hair down, Leon cocked his head to the side at the ransacked gun shop. The doors were flung open, glass spilling onto the street as rivulets of water sluiced down the walls. It was dark with no movement inside as the male officer took a step forward. A nearby alleyway with stairs led to some unknown location, but Kennedy was drawn to the gunshop sitting nearby.

"Kendo's. We should check it out"

"Couldn't hurt" Jill shrugged as her breasts gave a slight heave. She could feel 'them' trying to poke through the blue fabric, but Leon had already turned away and approached the door. Valentine knew he had noticed earlier, but he was trying to maintain his professionalism as she gave a ghost of a smirk.

Stepping into the gun store, both officers could see how thoroughly it had been looted. Shelves were empty of ammunition as gun racks that had previously held rifles, handguns, and shotguns laid bare as another flash of lightning reflected in the air.

"Leon. This place's been picked clean. We should try to regroup with the others" Jill sighed as she watched the man walk behind the counter. Something grabbed his attention, the handsome male disappearing from sight as he crouched down.

"Aha!" Leon barked out in a pleased manner as he stood back up with a box of 9mm rounds, a fragmentation grenade, and a side pouch. Grinning, the officer had an impish look on his face as Jill blew a strand of wet hair away with her arms crossed under her breasts.

"And you said there was nothing here"

"Shut up…" Jill said with slight annoyance at him being right and her wrong. Of course, he could hear the warmth in her voice as he opened the box of ammunition.

"Full box of fifty. Let's split it and reload while we can" Grabbing an empty magazine from his pistol holster, the man started to slide some fresh rounds into the magazine as Jill walked up and started to do the same.

A few minutes later had them fully loaded as loose cartridges were shoved into their hip pouches. Leon had taken the frag, storing it away for future use in his new pouch as the man gripped the crowbar and pistol.

"Come on, let's get going" Jill ordered as she stepped out into the rain…and froze. Gripping her weapon, she pointed it at the unknown woman standing there in a trench coat. She had Asian features and a face that men would love as the female pointed her own weapon at the duo. Leon followed suit, his eyes never wavering as he supported his female partner.

"Identify yourself!" Jill said in a stern and commanding voice as the rain poured down on them all.

"Special Agent Ada Wong of the FBI. I could ask the same of you" she replied back, her voice like silk as a strange, high pitched sound seemed to push through the sky. Both females had missed it, their stand-off taking precedence as the whirring grew louder…almost like a helicopter.

"Officer Jill Valentine of the Raccoon Police De-!

The helicopter came falling from the sky, its engine smoking as it wavered and fell through the rain. Skidding off the police station near the garage, spurts of fuel sprayed out as the collision collapsed the entranceway to the station before it landed in the street and started to skid across the pavement with a shriek of sparks. The fuel ignited, leaving a trail of flame as Leon burst forward like a coiled spring.

"LOOK OUT!" He yelled while grabbing both women and pushing them to the ground…just as the ruined aircraft passed them within five feet. Sparks flew across the pavement as bits of burnt and twisted metal arced away in a trial of destruction. Finally slamming into the gateway of the nearby alleyway that led to the orphanage and several tennis courts, the fallen helicopter came to a stop as burning fuel left a trail across the road.

Leon's head rung from the noise as he slowly stood up, his body unconsciously protecting the two women as heat blasted his face. Looking at the destruction, his eyes followed it to the R.P.D. garage as the fuel fire burned out of control.

"Ugh…nice tackle rook" Jill groaned as she stood up and eyed the station. She was thoroughly soaked now, her entire body drenched as the flames started to lick at the walls of the precinct. "Well…looks like we won't be going back that way…"

"It doesn't matter. The building is completely over-run. That Wendy girl was the last to leave" Ada chimed in as she looked down at her ruined coat. Letting out a sigh, she shrugged it off to reveal herself in a red dress that hugged her form quite nicely.

"You saw Wendy? Do you know where she went?" Jill asked as the helicopter burned nearby. The stench of burning flesh was mixed in….but was drowned out by the rain as Ada nodded.

"We got separated. All I know is she might be going after Irons after he killed deputy Kincaid. She actually thought I did it" Wong replied as the two officers were silent for a moment. Hearing about Tom's death was shocking….especially to Leon. They had arrived in Raccoon together…and now he was just…gone?

'_**Clang!'**_

The ruined door to the nearby helicopter bucked and shuddered, a horrid moan coming from the roaring inferno inside as the small moment of silence for their fallen friend was ruined. It fell outward, revealing a horribly burning man as he stumbled into the roaring flames.

"We should get going. There's nothing left here" Leon urged as he turned away from the crash site. Moving briskly to the far end of the barricaded boulevard, he was distinctly aware of Ada following along with her pistol drawn.

"Where are you going?"

"To the clock tower. There's a helicopter arriving at noon tomorrow. We need to get there before then" Jill answered as she cast a sidelong glance at the other woman.

"_I'll keep an eye on her… _Valentine thought to herself as they neared the wired barricade. A few of the undead clamored on the other side, there voices and moans a ruined noise of hunger as they looked around for an exit.

"There!" Leon pointed toward a rusting, metal door set into a building as he moved toward it. Grasping the knob, the man tried to twist it…but no luck. Shouldering his weight into he sealed door, it groaned with flecks of rust as it vibrated.

'_thud…'_

Jill's hair seemed to stand on end as she glanced over her shoulder and felt the fear climb back into her soaked bones. Standing on the roof of the police station as parts of it burned…was the Nemesis. It had come back…for her as it's gaze scanned toward the burning helicopter.

"Crap!" She hissed out before rapidly patting Leon on the shoulder with panic in her eyes. 'Leon! Get that door open!" She whispered in terror as Ada looked at the distant abomination.

"W…what the hell is that?" She gasped out while studying its horrendous features. Gulping, Ada raised her berretta in preparation.

"The Nemesis…" Leon answered as he gripped the crowbar and slammed it into the rusting door jamb. Gripping it with all his strength, the male started to pry as the gaze of the monster finally turned their way.

"_**Starsss…" **_It hissed out, the voice mixing in with a flash of lightning and thunder as it jumped down near the scorching fuel fire. Starting to march forward, its eyes were set on Jill as she gripped her M79. It was still near the rampway, but in less then a minute the horror would be upon them.

"C'mon…" Leon urged as the metal squealed under pressure. The rain fell harder, making it miserable as Jill backed up toward him.

"Leon! Hurry up!" She cried out as the Nemesis was now halfway toward them, its face a contortment of evil as it marched toward the three.

"I'm trying!" the rookie shouted back. Throwing his weight into the heavy door, its rust squealed as it opened a little. Reasserting the crowbar, he began prying more as he grit his teeth in a clench of exertion.

"Dammit!" Ada cursed as she run up and shouldered her weight against the door. It shifted again, but no dice as the Nemesis drew closer.

"Fuck!" Jill cried out as she aimed the grenade launcher at the engineered horror. It was walking around the far side of a police cruiser, its doors flung open as Jill cursed again…then aimed as an idea rapidly formed. Pulling the trigger of her launcher, the weapon bucked in her hands as the fragmentation round sped through the air…and impacted the nearest portion of the car. Which happened to be the side of the gas tank.

'_**WHUMP!'**_

The car exploded in a blast of heat and fire, consuming the Nemesis in a burning inferno as choking black smoke rose into the crying sky.

"GOT IT!"

A shriek of metal behind her had Jill turn as Leon and Ada got the door open.

"JILL! HURRY!" Leon urged as Ada squirmed through the gap to move inside. Sprinting across the slick road, Valentine risked a glance back…and wished she hadn't as the Nemeses walked out of the fire. Its trench coat was burning, but it didn't seem to care as it started to walk forward once more.

Jill ran, squeezing through the halfway open entranceway as Leon covered her…then followed her inside. They didn't have time to waste as the three ran down a dirty and unused corridor of the old warehouse.

The nearby windows were boarded up as marks of old graffiti marked the walls, adding to is desolation as the three turned a corner to the right.

A zombie stood there, its clothing nothing but dirty rags. The man most likely had been a bum, but it was hard to tell as Leon surged forward and smashed the crowbar into the bloody temple. The corpse didn't even have a chance to try and attack as it crumpled from the blow.

A loud crash reverberated behind them, indicating the monster had entered the old building as the three ran for their lives.

"Don't stop!" Jill urged as another entranceway loomed ahead. It led outside into the pouring rain, the water falling like the end of the world as thunder rumbled.

"That's the most obvious thing I've ever heard" Ada said with a tinge of fear in her voice as she ran next to the other female. Glancing back, she urged herself faster as the Nemesis rounded the corner.

"_God…what the hell have I gotten myself into?"_ She asked herself while pumping her legs faster.

The trio emerged onto the narrow side street as the rain poured down like a torrent. Undead snarls emanated from their right as they glanced with dread. Several undead had been trying to force their way past a van blocking the side road that led to the tennis courts beyond…but now they noticed the humans in their midst.

"Ignore them! Just keep running!" Leon shouted out as they sprinted toward their left with heavy footfalls splashing through puddles. The three could feel the tremble of the Nemesis following…and now they had several zombies on their trail.

They sprinted past boarded up stores and windows as trash littered the streets along with a few compact cars parked along the side near the shoulder. The dead were thinly spread out…but the three didn't really concern themselves with that as the scarred creature emerged from the small warehouse…and continued its hunt of Jill Valentine.

She looked back, and her eyes could almost see it…smile as the lipless mouth tried to pull upward in a sinister motion. It frightened her to the core as she pumped her legs faster as her lungs and chest heaved for air.

"We need to find a place to lay low!" Ada shouted, her hip hugging dress not suited for a marathon as another of the undead moaned from the entrance of a small deli. It staggered toward Leon, but the young officer was up to the task as he swung that crowbar of his with an expulsion of effort.

'_**Crunch!'**_

The heavy piece of metal caved in part of the cranium in one blow, ending the former cook's life as the corpse crumpled to the wet pavement. Glancing ahead after his kill, Leon grimaced as a few cars blocked the end of the street. They had obviously been in an accident indicated by the crumpled hood and the dead woman laying half through the windshield. Glass reflected like the water as he glanced back at their pursuer.

It had just knocked a mindless corpse to the ground, and its stride was steady…until it paused. Taking a sprinting stance, the abomination lowered its head as the trio of human's continued to run toward the pile up before them.

"It…It's up to something!" Jill screamed as she neared the car with the dead woman splayed over the hood. The corpse stirred, a low moan escaping the lips before Leon dispatched it with a crowbar stab through the back of the head. The zombie went silent…then the Nemesis sprinted. Its boots echoed like the thunder above as it rapidly started to close the distance in the never ending downpour.

"UP AND OVER!" Leon shouted as he grabbed Jill and practically shoved her onto the hood of the crumbled car. A few shards of glass cut at her biceps, but she could live with it as Leon and Ada followed like hell was after them.

Scrambling to the other side and landing in the T-intersection, Jill backpedaled as the biological horror was already ten feet from the cars.

"Jill! Get ready to ring it's ears!" Leon yelled at her as he pulled the grenade from his pouch. Pulling the pin, Leon simply rolled it under the closest car near the gas tank as Valentine followed his lead. Aiming her M79 down the sights, she watched as it started to climb over the hood of the destroyed vehicle.

'_**STARS!.'**_

It's voice alone made her want to run…but she swallowed that fear as she fired. The grenade projectile flew, arcing through the rain before slamming into the chest of her nightmare. Shrapnel burst against its tattered coat and flesh, making it howl in rage as it was thrown off balance. Falling backward from the blow, it was dealt another attack as the fragmentation grenade detonated under the fuel tank.

Of course, the three human's were already running as the fireball of shrapnel and flame turned the intersection into a small inferno. Running past the school on their left, the trio could see the massive tanker fire still burning to the south as zombies staggered to the crackling noise of the burning, city block.

Fortunately for them all, this had drawn a great deal of the undead away as Ada looked back at the burning pile-up. It was belching black smoke into the stormy sky as another bolt of lightning pierced the heavens, but she could've sworn she saw a vehicle shift.

"We need to get off this road now!" She hissed out as her chest rose and fell with her running. Nodding, the other two couldn't agree more as another T-intersection loomed ahead. While the road before them kept running through the residential area, the other would take them to some shops and restaurants as they turned north with fatigue and shortened breath.

Two of the undead lingered before them, but they were spread out as the man and two women burst past them. They ignored the destruction around them, their only goal a safe haven to escape the trail of the Nemesis who had no doubt recovered by now.

"There!" Jill pointed straight ahead toward a liquor store. The windows were heavily barred, the only notable thing was the security door was still open as a zombie loitered outside. Running up with a heavy gasp of breath, Leon plunged the pointed end of his crowbar into the blood spattered man's eye socket before it could try it's own attack.

It punched through like a knife through rotten butter as the body fell to the sidewalk in a silent sigh of death as dirty blood leaked along the concrete surface. Urging the two women inside, Leon shut the door as quietly as possible before locking it.

"Check for more of them and stay quiet. If we're lucky it'll just pass us by" Leon asserted as the trio started to check the store. A dead man lay on the floor of the second aisle with his guts torn out, which was handled by a rapid stab through his skull by Leon. Finding no other threats, the trio hunkered down behind the counter in silence as they caught their breath.

Ada was keeping watch, her beautiful eyes peeking over the counter as water dripped down from her bangs and landed on the floor. She was soaked…and for the first time, really scared.

"_My contact never told me about this…I thought I would just be handling a few zombies. But this? I'll be lucky to get out alive"_ She told herself…then her breath hitched in her throat as the Nemesis appeared in the distant intersection to the south.

The rain blocked the view, but she could instantly tell it had taken damage as large swaths of its trench coat had been burned away. Turning after a moment, it started to head this way through the downpour as more thunder rumbled the building.

Ducking down, she pressed her back to the heavy counter as she looked at her two companions. Pressing a slender finger to her delicate lips, she indicated complete silence as the heavy thudding of steps grew louder…and closer.

"_Oh shit! It's right outside! Stay calm Jill…just stay calm and quiet. It hasn't found us yet…"_ Gulping, she glanced at Leon as the man gripped his sidearm. He looked terrified as well…but he was still willing to fight.

"_**STARS…."**_

If they had looked, the three of them would have seen it peering into the window, its gaze trying to pierce the gloom inside. After a few moments, it turned around to investigate the area near the school, the monster concluding that its target had kept running in fear for her life.

The heavy footsteps faded, finally losing themselves in the distance as Leon breathed a sigh of relief with the others.

"Good thinking Jill. This place was a godsend" the male tried to smile as the female officer who nodded.

"I just wanted a place to hide…that thing scares me to death" Valentine retorted as Ada spoke.

"That move with the grenade was impressive. Excellent thinking under stress" she added in as she slowly stood up. Leon couldn't help but admire her curves and the way her dress hugged her hips and lithe form, making the man think of some things as Wong smirked. She had caught him staring, but she knew it was harmless. Plus, this young officer wasn't bad on the eyes anyway.

Looking away awkwardly, he coughed before rapidly standing up as Jill gave a slight scowl. She had seen the whole thing.

"Men…" she muttered as the mentioned male started to search the liquor store for anything useful.

"Oh…there's nothing wrong with a little eye candy. After all, the street goes both ways" Ada joked as she studied the rookie. He was trying to be all business, but both women were positive he could hear them.

"Uhh…there's nothing here unless you want to get drunk. And considering the direction that thing was going, I suggest the alleyways behind this place" Leon stated, his voice trying to be professional before the two stunning females. It really didn't help they were soaking wet and their curves were more…accentuated. After all, they all knew their pointed nubs were trying to poke through their respective clothing covering their chests.

"Good idea, rookie" Jill said with a slight tease as the fear from before took a step back. Moving toward the rear of the store, the trio found themselves in another dirty alley as the storm continued like it was the end of the world. And for them, it just might be as the pouring rain continued to fall…

**An hour later… 12: 53 p.m.**

The three had been lucky. The alleyways they've been traversing had been relatively deserted of the infected or other horrors. Only a handful of the living dead had been encountered among the trash and boarded up doors, which Leon had dispatched handily with his crowbar. Not only was it silent in taking down the lone corpse, but it saved vital ammunition for them all.

Plus, with no sign of the Nemesis, the trio of survivors could relax…a little bit as they finally came to the end of a narrow street. Well, not really. There was a truck abandoned at a diagonal angle across the trash strewn road. It had crashed into the corner of a building, its hood crumpled like a can as a bloody corpse sat in the driver's seat. The doors were flung open, revealing the horrible fate of the human inside that had been torn apart by zombies in the past. It tried to lift its arms toward the adults, but…they had been eaten off as rags of flesh dangled with a sorrowful moan of hunger.

Moving around the black vehicle, Jill ignored the corpse as she recognized the street as a historic landmark. A narrow canal ran along a short road past a three star restaurant to her right, its brick surface lined with emblems of public works. Parked cars had been left abandoned while a city bus blocked the road further ahead as the doors to the eatery hung open.

Studying the street that kept running straight, Jill saw nothing but a distant zombie standing guard near a garbage dumpster as the rain pelted its head.

"This way. We might be able to cut through the restaurant to the City Hall gate and get to the clock tower that way" Valentine urged as she started to walk up the small incline toward the building. The rain kept pouring down, and at this point, she didn't even care anymore.

Stepping through the doorway with Leon and Ada covering her, they were overcome with the sight of a bloodbath as Ada gulped loudly over the echoing downpour as lightning rumbled again.

Tables and chairs had been knocked over while plates and other cutlery littered the tarnished floor. But the real horror was the bodies…or pieces of bodies strewn about the lobby. Pieces of bloody, torn chunks of viscera had slapped against the upholstery while severed limbs…and other unidentified parts of people took residence in the room.

"God…they must've been in the middle of lunch…" Ada whispered as she glanced at a corpse strewn over a booth table. It…had been a waiter judging by the pants, but the upper torso had been ripped away, leaving a trail of intestines and other bits of bloody meat.

"I'll never visit a fancy restaurant again" Leon said with a cringe as his left foot accidentally nudged a severed hand on the floor. Gulping, the officer tried to not think about it as his nose and ears picked up sounds and smells that had no business in this establishment. The all too familiar sounds of flesh tearing…of sinew and muscle snapping that made his skin crawl.

"Crap. You smell that?" He asked the two women in a low whisper as he gripped his pistol. Keeping it raised, the young male inched his way toward the open window toward the kitchen.

"Yeah…gas. Check your fire, Leon" Jill instructed as she avoided stepping in a pile of rotting flesh on the floor. Grimacing, she couldn't even tell what it was as the man ducked down below the serving window. She followed suit with Ada as the Asian woman peeked over the sill.

The kitchen wasn't much better as sprays of blood had spattered against a large stove. The hissing of gas from a ruptured valve on the appliance was largely forgotten by the three zombies tearing at a man on the floor. He was large and overweight in a cook's outfit from what could be seen, but the corpses were eating with such a frenzy that his features were becoming nothing but ruin.

Food was sitting on countertops, the nourishment finding new customers as a few worms and other insects crawled over a slab of steak that had been left out, adding to the stifling smell of rotten eggs and gore.

Easing herself back down against the low wall, Ada looked at the other two adults.

"How should we do this?" She whispered while gripping her handgun tightly. _"One spark and this whole building could become an inferno"_

Observing Jill take a glance herself, the experienced officer slid back into place as the sounds of slurping and chewing continued.

"I have an idea. Just follow me" Valentine ordered as she moved in a crouch through the restaurant of blood and horror. Stopping at the splayed open entranceway that had sprays of blood on the glass, she turned…and let out a sharp whistle before moving into the downpour just beyond.

The dead grunted…their moans and rasps getting excited as the first stood up with fresh gore dripping past her lips. She had been a waitress…but now was just another corpse as she started to stagger and limp from the kitchen with her two cohorts.

"Oh…nice thinking Jill" Leon quipped as he raised his pistol in the falling rain. The other two did the same, waiting for the dead to move closer as their shuffling resonated in their ears.

"Thanks"

A moment later she fired, the bullet ripping through the air as it smashed into the chest of the waitress. Rotten flesh bloomed, making the former woman let out a hungry rasp as her two companions continued to move down the aisle between tables and booths.

"Tch! That's sloppy and you know it" Wong said in a condescending tone as she fired two shots in quick succession. The first shattered the jaw of the woman, spitting away teeth before the second burrowed through her eye. Dropping to the floor, the second waiter barely had a chance to moan as Leon dropped him with a true headshot. Shifting his aim, he managed to kill the third with two more pulls of the trigger as bits of blood and bone flew through the moisture-laden air.

The barking echo of gunfire faded in his ears as the rookie lowered his weapon in the rain as Wong glanced his way with an impish smile.

"Well well…aren't you quite the marksman"

"Top of my class" Leon replied with a sense of pride as he strode back into the restaurant over the flash of lightning and thunder.

"Showoff" Jill muttered as the trio moved into the kitchen. The body one the floor had been torn apart, the head practically ripped away from the neck as it snapped and bit at the humans with zero success. Making their way past the…severed head, the man and two females felt disgust…and pity while moving through the blood strewn kitchen.

"Poor bastard…" Leon said in a whisper…then he heard it. The sound of chittering…the exact same sound as the pharmacy as he whipped around. Eyes widening, he saw three…no…five of those monsters from that back room.

Their chitin armor was slick with rain and slime as their six legs carried them through the entrance. Stringy, disgusting hair covered their joins as their insect eyes snapped and explored the restaurant. Mandibles clacked as one extended its proboscis toward a bloody arm. Snatching it up, the brain sucker started to feed as the other four let out excited noises of hungry clicking. Dropping the bloody appendage, its eyes locked onto the three humans.

Starting to scurry over tables and the walls, their horrific features became a nightmare as mucous dripped from their diseased mouths. Clawed feet on six legs each scrambled over tables and gore, their new goal before them as they hissed.

"THE HELL ARE THOSE!" Ada shouted in horrific disgust as she raised her firearm.

"Don't shoot! Just run!" Leon urged as he grabbed the woman's hand and sprinted to the back of the restaurant with Jill.

"SHIT!" Valentine cursed as thick webbing covered the back door to the building. It was everywhere…covering the entirety of the doorway and wall with the material. Numerous egg sacs lay in the corner, their appearance like gristle as a closed hatch sat nearby. The insect nest was far too thick to cut through as the monsters climbed over the distant sill. They sounded excited human's had fallen into their nest as Leon looked around in a panic. Glancing at a small table nearby, he snatched up a lighter near a pack of cigarettes as he pointed toward the cellar hatch.

"Quick! Downstairs!" he ordered with sternness as Jill didn't waste another second. Gripping the cool handle, she flung it open as she could easily guess what Leon was planning.

"You better not die on me, Rookie!" She shouted over the increased clicking and chattering as she hurried down the steps to the cellar. Ada was following, her weapon gripped tight as fear tugged at her heart.

"Just hurry!" He urged as he started to flick the flint wheel of the small, grey object. Glancing at Ada halfway down the steps, the handsome and brave man finally got a small flame going before he flung it into the kitchen at the approaching monsters.

Turning, the twenty year old practically jumped into the basement past Wong as she yanked the hatch shut…and not a moment too soon.

The antique lighter had stayed lit during the throw, its flame igniting the hissing gas from the stove as it sailed over the head of a brain sucker. The chemical reaction occurred in a single moment as the burning wave of flame seared through the kitchen and part of the restaurant like a flood.

The monsters screamed like burning moths as the inferno passed over their eyes and flesh in a split second. Juices were sealed inside their carapaces as they were literally cooked alive as the light explosion ripped one in half. The flame raced through the kitchen along the cabinets and stoves before igniting the insect webbing covering the emergency exit. The eggs were destroyed in the blink of an eye as the fire coiled over the basement hatch like a flood.

Ada gripped the hatch tight with Leon, their adrenaline giving them strength as the whooshing sound above roared and burned.

The fireball lasted a good five or ten seconds as the two grit their teeth. The hatch buckled, trying to rise up in the backdraft as Leon pulled it down with a grunt and yell.

Finally, the noise ended as silence took over above. Hearing the swishing of swirling water, both Ada and Leon gave a relieved sigh as they looked down the stairs at Jill.

"That was close…fuck, I didn't expect to see more of those 'Brain Suckers' again" Leon gasped out as he finally released the handle. His knuckles were white from the grip as he slowly descended the steps with Ada looking at him oddly.

"Brain Suckers? Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Saw one earlier today…nasty things. Worse than zombies I'd say" Leon quipped back as he stepped into the water half a foot deep. It was warm and brackish as several large freezers dripped water from between the seals of the doors….and the smell of rot and death was down here too. It was strong…but not enough to deter them from searching.

"Looks like the freezer's failed…" Jill observed as she flicked on her flashlight to pierce the gloom.

"Yeah, and the smell…" Ada added in as she stepped into the flooded basement. The water climbed up to her ankles…but she was already soaked anyway as she stood near Leon. _"I'm retiring after this. To a tropical island with a beach!"_ She promised herself as Jill's movements shifted the swirling liquid.

Rounding the corner of the room past more industrial freezers and stacks of canned food and alcohol racks, Jill's flashlight found the source of the stench.

A dead man had climbed onto an old table as bites covered his forearms and legs. He was wearing military combat gear as a vest with pouches that could hold several magazines of ammunition hung over his torso…but they looked empty as Jill took a step forward to study the deceased.

A pistol was still gripped in his left hand, the slide kicked back to empty as a gaping wound in the side of his head told a small story of his end. Shining the light on his face, the man looked Hispanic as Leon read the stitched name across the vest….right near an Umbrella symbol and the letters 'U.B.C.S'.

"C. Olivera…a solider for Umbrella?"

"Looks like it. After all, that company does have its own security force" Ada added in as Jill nodded.

"Soo…did they send these guys here to try and clean up the city? If they did, that must've been a suicide mission" Jill asked as something sparkled behind the dead man. Shifting her flashlight, her gaze fell on a green jewel…and a box that made her smile in joy. Reaching forward, she nudged the body out of the way before gripping the items.

"Sorry Olivera…but you have something I need…"

Opening the small find, the beautiful brunette counted eight fragmentation shells for the M79 in the box as she started to pocket them.

"Your welcome" Leon smirked as Jill cocked an eyebrow at the male as she continued to take the valuable ammunition.

"How do you figure that?"

"If I hadn't blown up that kitchen and saved your lives, we wouldn't have searched down here" the officer said with a smile and shrug.

Jill scoffed.

"Idiot. That handsome face of yours must be getting to your brain" she shot back as Ada picked up the jewel. Hearing Leon mutter something, she couldn't help but give a small smile to the tease.

"This is for that sundial right? Near city hall?"

"Yup. Have no idea how it ended up here though…it's made of hard glass. Its only value is to open those heavy doors to the small park that runs past the mayor's office"

"But that leads to that tram, right? Then to the clock tower?" Leon asked as Jill nodded.

"Sure does. And if we want to leave this necropolis, we should get moving" Jill finished as they started back upstairs and left the corpse behind. Opening the cellar door, the three could see the insect webbing had burned away, freeing their path as Leon gripped the knob. Small fires crackled in the kitchen, but the group ignored it as the officer pushed the door open with a squeal of tired hinges.

A zombie turned and lunged at the male from barely five feet away as he yelled in fear. It gripped his shoulders, the maw of rotting teeth closing in on his face as rancid breath washed over his senses.

"FUCK!"

'**BANG!'**

The bullet hissed past Leon's right ear so close that he almost felt it before it burrowed through the dead man's nose. Rotten gore splattered the dirty, brick wall beyond as Ada lowered her gun. Smoking tendrils mixed in with the heavy rain as she stepped onto the raised step.

"You owe me one, Leon"

"Yeah…yeah…thanks Ada" the man gulped as he stared down at the zombie….and tried to ignore his racing heart.

"You alright?" Jill asked as the falling water slid down her back, making her body chill as she shut the door behind her. The rain hadn't let up at all, just adding to the continued misery as she glanced past the man toward a distant gate. It obviously led to the road they had been on as a zombie battered against the steel bars and snarled near a dumpster.

"I'm…I'm alright" he replied with a shake of his voice before walking down the concrete steps toward Wong as she peered down the T-intersection of the alleyway.

"This way" The Asian woman urged as she moved forward with caution. Passing several small shops that had been boarded up on both sides while discarded trash and cans littered the path, it was evident they had moved into a small shopping area.

'**Pop…pop! pop! pop!'**

Rapid gunfire echoed through the air from up ahead as the three moved faster toward a closed gate.

"Survivors? We need to hurry!" Leon urged as he picked up the pace with the others. Approaching the closed door, the man studied the chain and lock as he grabbed his crowbar. Simply having it hang off his belt had worked as he started to pry and struggle with the chain barring their path.

Shouting and gunshots could be heard along with more of the undead as Leon continued to struggle with the lock as the two females gripped their handguns tight.

"Come on. Use those muscles god gave you!" Jill said loudly as Kennedy grit his teeth and strained his tired arms.

"I…I'M TRYING!" He shouted as another gunshot rang out.

'**SNAP!'**

The chain fell to the ground as he stepped back, giving Jill and Ada space to push the door open to reveal the intersection beyond…

**Five minutes earlier with Marvin's group.**

The portions of the sewers Allyssa and the others had found themselves in had been…relatively deserted. Aside from the occasional sewer worker that had to be dispatched, the four had moved along the maintenance tunnels with relative ease as countless minutes ticked by. The sewage water against their clothes had…dried, making them feel even grosser as the stench lingered on their journey.

Their shoes clanged along the grating of the raised catwalks and pathways, the four moving in relative silence as the occasional path moved off to some distant part of the subterranean maze. But eventually, they came to a set of stairs leading upwards to a distant door above.

"Looks like it's upward" Marvin replied as he studied the deserted staircase. Shifting his eyes, he saw a small sign that pointed upwards with an arrow.

"Three Point's Street maintenance" he read it out as Allyssa cursed.

"Shit"

"Something wrong? This is right near city hall and your office right?" Elliot asked as he started up the stairs.

"Yeah…and there might be dozens of zombies up there. Don't get careless" the taller blonde cautioned as she gripped her berretta.

"Should we backtrack? Try to find a different way up?" Rita inquired as Branagh shook his head.

"No. This place is a maze down here and we were damn lucky to wind up here. If we turn back, we might end up someplace worse. No, we fight our way through and hope the path is clear" the senior officer ordered as started to climb the concrete stairs.

In moments he had reached the door to the surface as he gripped the knob in one hand and the MP5 in the other. Taking a deep breath to steady himself and his nerves, the officer shoved the door open to the street as rain and thunder filled the sky. The doorway had opened up on the southern part of the street near a pile up of wrecks that blocked any further access south. It was practically at the corner as moans and snarls greeted their ears and eyes.

Three or four near a turned over car started to home in on the noise as they started to walk and shamble across broken glass and garbage. Studying the street in a rapid glance after years on the force, Marvin assessed the situation in a heartbeat.

The intersection near the gate to city hall was filled with twenty or thirty of the infected as the newspaper building sat at the northern corner with numerous cars along the road. A police car sat near the entrance as a dead officer lay in the road, his body ignored by the zombies as his fellow officers emerged onto the road to the south.

"Make your shot's count!" Marvin ordered as he switched the weapon to semi-automatic and fired at the closest corpse. The weapon spat fire as the trio of bullets raced past falling rain before burrowing into the dead man's head. Shifting his aim to the next, the police man kept up the pressure as Rita, Allyssa, and Elliot started to fire their weapons at the undead shambling toward them.

The pistol barked in Rita's hands as the rain plastered her blonde hair to her skull among the moans of corpses. A second pull of the trigger killed a zombified fire-fighter as the round tore away part of its skull. It fell to the pavement among the torrential storm as lightning flashed above.

"THE LEFT IS CLEAR!" Williams screamed out over the snapping of bullets as the four closest corpses were dispatched with accurate gunfire. Swiveling on her foot, she felt the fear climb her throat as the tiny horde of twenty or more seemed to home in on her alone. Taking a step back, she felt her body press against a wreck behind her.

"DON'T LET UP!" Elliot shouted as he fired three quick shots into a young woman's face from barely twenty feet away. The first two tore away her jaw and throat, spinning away gore and flesh before the third ended her life. Her shirt had been torn away, revealing large breasts as Edwards turned to a staggering man with exposed intestines.

"_A shame…I bet she was beautiful once"_ Elliot thought to himself as he fired again.

Allyssa plugged a zombie in the nose as rain water dripped down her cheeks. The smell of spent munitions was just another stench of survival as she shifted to her third target and breathed. She recognized him as one of her co-workers…but his milky white eyes betrayed him as the reporter squeezed the trigger once more.

"Sorry Jim" She whispered as the back of his head blew out in a spray of shattered bone. Re-aiming to another of the undead, she gripped her weapon tight as Marvin stepped back.

An empty magazine fell from his MP5 as the senior officer slapped in a new one, his face a mixture of fear and disgust. Pressing the weapon to his shoulder, Branagh squeezed off another three round burst into the face of man that was missing half his chest cavity. It made him want to vomit and scream…how he had failed to protect the citizens of this city.

"_Some cop I am…"_ he briefly thought as fresh gunfire rang out from a nearby alleyway directly across from the sundial. His eyes darted past the remaining ten undead before recognizing Jill, Leon, and some unknown woman.

"Help them out!" The rookie shouted over the storm and rasping snarls as he took a professional stance and shot a zombie almost point blank in the head.

"Holy shit…the rookie's still alive!" Elliot exclaimed as he fired again at a half burned corpse with crackled and blackened skin. Its mouth was nightmare of charred flesh as he put a bullet between the eyes. The slide clicked back as he cursed.

"Rita! Cover me!" The officer yelled out as he stepped back to reload.

"Got it!" the shorter woman agreed as she stepped forward to fire…but hesitated as the woman in a red dress shot her target down with professional accuracy. Turning, she saw only two of the walking undead wavering in their approach…but it was short lived as Kennedy and Valentine finished them off with two bullets each.

Silence reigned over the intersection, the only sound was rumbling thunder and a heavy down pour as the two groups started to pick their way past the remains of the horde in the street.

"Damn…that was a lot of them…" Allyssa grimaced as she approached Leon and the others.

"Leon. It's good to see you in once piece. You too Valentine and…um?" Marvin started to say as the mentioned female cocked a firm hip.

"Ada. Ada Wong" She introduced herself as Ashcroft mainly ignored her as she turned toward Jill.

"Have you seen the others? What about Wendy? We got separated in the basement and haven't seen any of them after we escaped the station into the sewers" the reporter asked of the young woman. Honestly…she didn't know why she cared so much. Most teenagers were selfish brats, but Wendy was cut from a far different cloth.

"I know she escaped the precinct" Ada chimed in as Leon interrupted, his voice louder over the crackle of thunder.

"Ada thinks she went after Irons…it's looking like he killed Tom. But we have no idea where she went. And the station is burning now. There's no way we can backtrack. Especially with the Nemesis out there"

"Shit" Elliot cursed as he turned away, his features tired as Rita lowered her eyes.

"Poor Tom…he was a good man" the shorter officer added in as Marvin nodded.

"He was from the short time we knew him. Now I know this sounds harsh, but we need to get this gate open and get to that cable car. Hopefully it still run's and we can get to the clock tower that way. As for Wendy…hopefully she can find the others and take down our…chief" Marvin stated evenly as the survivors nodded. It sucked. They had to rely on the hope a teenager could make it across the city after dealing with….well, Irons. From what they had learned in that secret room, Irons was worse than some of the creatures out here.

"_Hope your still alive, kid" _Allyssa silently prayed as she let out a heavy sigh in the rain. Taking out the digital, military grade camera, the reporter took several pictures of the survivors…and the scattered dead and ruin around them. Placing it away after she was satisfied, Ashcroft knew she had to get this story out of Raccoon…no matter what.

Moving toward the sundial, the gathered group immediately noticed the two missing pieces in the historic monument…a space for a red and green jewel.

"I can't believe carrying this around all this time paid off…" Ashcroft murmured as she dug the item out of her hip pouch. Setting it in place, there was a small '_click'_ as Ada stepped up and repeated the process with the green object.

'_**Thunk!'**_

The locking mechanism for the nearby gate echoed, indicating it was unlocked as Leon moved up and braced his shoulder against the right side. Following his example, Elliot did the same as they started to push.

"So…ugh…Leon? What's it…urgh…like traveling with those…ungh! Beauties?" the officer asked with a grin as the pathway slowly opened.

"Diff…difficult. Women get weird sometimes…" Leon struggled as Jill stood nearby with Marvin.

"You know we can all hear you. The rain doesn't drown out everything" she smirked as the others gave a light chuckle…just to escape the madness of their insane situation.

"Damn…" Leon grunted out as the heavy gate finally opened enough on screeching hinges. It wasn't open completely, but enough to let a full adult pass through.

"I'll check it out" Kennedy offered as he glanced back…and met the eyes of Jill, Ada and Allyssa boring into his back.

"_Did I say something wrong?"_

"Go on officer…we wouldn't want our weirdness getting in your way…" Allyssa stated evenly as officer Edwards gave a small laugh.

"Damn…zombies might be safer…" he whispered to the rookie who briefly wondered if he was right. Shaking his head, Leon got back on mission as he stepped through onto a brick walkway. A statue of the founding mayor of Raccoon City stood to his right in a small grass area while the city hall itself sat dark…and deserted.

A three story building, it's doors and windows were boarded up on the outside as the path continued forward. But…nothing moved except droplets of water hammering against the ground as he waved a hand.

"it's clear"

Moving along, the officer took point with Edwards as the group of survivors rapidly approached a fork in the path. It was empty as Rita extended a hand to the left.

"I think the tram's that way…and the Galaga Gas Station is to the north of us"

"South it is then" Jill said in a no-nonsense tone. Boots slick with water, the brunette covered Leon and Elliot as both men opened the wrought iron gate to the next alley. It's hinges squealed like a dying banshee, making the adults cringe as a few startled rasps and moans filled the air.

"Dammit…more of them" Ashcroft cursed as three zombies snarled with hunger. Turning, they started to limp and stagger as Marvin stepped up toward the front near an abandoned car.

"I got this"

Pressing the submachine gun to his shoulder, the Lieutenant squeezed of a trio of bursts into the undead from twenty feet away. One's head split open from the passage of metal, its shattered cranium and brain matter splattering against a nearby car. The other duo fell as well to the police man who was becoming quite proficient with headshots.

"Let's go. We should almost be there" he ordered before breaking into a light trot. In moments, his side flared, making him wince as he fought through the pain.

Hearing the grunt of discomfort, Leon knew that the wounded man would need to rest soon as he pushed the alleyway gate open.

A small, deserted yard greeted them all as more thunder rumbled in the distance. Hurrying through, the survivors didn't even bother to look for anything as their destination was almost in reach. Pushing the wooden door open that were slick with rain, Elliot was not surprised by the scene that greeted him.

The street was a tangle of wrecks and fires as the cries of the distant undead wavered over the storm. Nearby buildings were aflame or showed other signs of destruction as his boots crunched on glass and spent shell casings. Turning his gaze away from the sight of a dead girl on the ground that had been ripped open, Elliot felt a hand on his shoulder.

"This way…there's nothing we can do out there" Rita assured him as the man nodded solemnly. Following the police woman and the others, they felt their spirts lift as they rounded the final corner.

There it sat…the street car that will take them to the clock tower and out of this nightmare. It sat dark and deserted as it's familiar, red paint seemed to glow like salvation. The sidewalk near the streetcar was littered with more shell casings and garbage, but nothing threatened the group as Valentine moved forward. Jill opened the doors first, her form entering the vehicle as the rain pattered against the roof above like nails. Stepping to the side as the others entered, she found the car deserted as the others spread out.

"Search for anything useful. And let's get this thing started" Marvin told the others as he eased himself into an empty seat. Letting out a groan of relief, he took another antiviral pill as the other survivors around him began their search…

**At the Orphanage: October 1****st**** 1:27 p.m.**

The rain continued to fall like a torrent as thunder and lightning shattered the sky outside her little hiding space. She was scared by what was happening as rainwater sloshed past her paws. Peeking out with her brown eyes, the creature just wanted her human back. But…some weird smelling people had attacked them at their home.

She had gotten scared…and her best friend in this whole world screamed as the bad smelling people attacked her and killed her. She had ran into the night, avoiding everything she could as more people seemed to smell bad along with the smell of death and blood.

Finally finding a hiding place in this little gap under the stairs, she had hid in silence…until she heard voices. Peaking out, she had saw two humans…but then one of them get hurt as a third man took the blonde woman away.

She had rehidden after the shocking sound as her mind couldn't comprehend what was happening as the deluge continued to fall.

Time passed unknown to the small creature as she peeked out again at the fallen girl on the ground…and decided to be brave. Taking a cautionary step forward, she left the safety of her hiding place as her short, brown hair became matted down.

The thunder scared her…but she had to be brave for her long gone friend as she walked up and sniffed the blue haired girl on the ground.

SHE SMELLED ALIVE!

Nuzzling her little black nose against the damp cheek of the girl, the little dog finally noticed the red gash alongside her head. Moving toward it, she started to lick it, hoping that it would help this human.

Wendy was beset by more nightmares of blood and death, her suffering never ending as blood seemed to fall from the sky in this horrific place. And for the life of her…she felt soaked and wet no matter where she ran…or tried to hide as an ocean of blood flowed around her.

She grimaced as her head throbbed from a locust monster hitting her cranium with a mallet as she splayed in a shallow pool of gore. Looking up, the locust faded…but not the sensation of falling liquid or something licking her head?

The horrific images faded into blackness…but the wetness remained as distant thunder rumbled beyond her senses.

"_Where…whe…"_

A small sniffing sound entered her ear, making it tickle as she slowly opened her eyes with a wince. Her head was pounding as she let out a groan, making her body shift as another lick ran along her head wound that grazed her skull. It was almost missed by how thoroughly soaked to the bone she was…but Wendy felt the tongue against the raw damage.

Fear immediately rose in her throat at what it might be as she slowly…and silently turned her head to the source as another bolt of lightning ravaged the darkened sky. It was not what she was expecting.

Standing alone a foot away on four legs was a brown Chihuahua with a white chest that seemed to grow excited as Wendy regained her senses. A small bone shaped license hung around her neck with a pink collar as the wet dog pranced. Spinning around, its little face was covered with doglike joy as its curly tail bounced near its rear end in happiness at not being alone anymore.

"Hi"

"Yip!"

**And that's it! This chapter was mostly Jill and the others since most of the last one was Wendy. But next chapter we will see Irons, the girls and Wendy with her new little companion! Speaking of, the Chihuahua is modeled after my sisters own little dog that is quite the character. Whenever I visit her, that little dog wiggles like a breadloaf haha.**

**Anyway! I hope you all enjoy the newest chapter and leave some positive words…or at least read it haha.**

**Wendy: So…I'm partnered with a Chihuahua now?**

**Dog: Pip!**

**Wendy: Well…she did survive this long…and she is pretty cute… AHHH WHO AM I KIDDING! SHE'S ADORABLE!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	10. Escaping from Downtown

**Well, here I am with another chapter! And I have to say…I'm kinda surprised a few of you wanted the little dog to go with Wendy at the end of this adventure. I figured the little one would go with Sherry.**

**But anyway! I'll write this one and hopefully get to another COG chapter after this since its been a while…which I'm sorry about, but I can't write multiple chapters at once. But without further waiting, let the chapter begin! Oh..and I don't own anything.**

**Prepare to Re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Escaping from Downtown**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 1:33 p.m.**

The hard rain fell as the little Chihuahua spun in a rapid circle, its brown fur matted as Wendy let out a horrid groan. Trying to sit up, all she felt was a dull ache in her left side were the bullet slug had punched against her armor…but that was small and insignificant compared to the agony she felt throbbing along the right side of her skull.

Reaching a hand up, Wendy gently touched the wound and let out a horrid hiss as it flared from the contact.

"Sonofabitch…" she uttered in anger as she grit her teeth. Swiveling her head to the orphanage, her anger intensified at the entrance. As she tried to stand, her head swam and legs went weak in mere moments.

Wendy went dizzy as she fell to her side, her senses a jumble of nausea before she vomited into the soaked grass. She coughed and wretched, her body expelling what she could as the little dog watched…then came forward to lick her hand.

"Ugh…hack…ungh…than…thanks…Pepper" Wendy wheezed out a few seconds later as the letters on the license were lit up by a flash of lightning. Somehow…she found it fitting for the brown and white dog as it looked at her with hope.

Grasping her fallen pistol nearby, Wendy finally managed to stand up as she looked around the yard. Elizabeth's pistol lay several yards away, its metallic sheen hard to miss as the fifteen year old slowly approached.

"That fat bastard…he took her…ugh…" Wendy groaned out as her head flared again. Wincing at the headwound, she knew that needed to be addressed first if she had any chance of saving the others. Stooping down as her skull throbbed, she retrieved the second firearm and stored it in the backpack she was lugging around.

"I…I have to find…them…" Wendy whispered as she started toward the steps. Looking down at her feet, the little Chihuahua was walking in pace with her…which oddly made her smile in this horrible place.

"Thanks for waking…me up by the way" Wendy told the dog with a heavy breath…whom let out a tiny bark. She let out a small chuckle and tried to impose some self control. After all…if this was a normal situation, she'd be swooning at how cute this dog was!

But…she needed to address this pulsing wound. Gripping the doorknob before her, Wendy pushed it open with as much silence as she could muster. Stepping in, the little dog hurried past as it started to shake and wiggle in an attempt to dry itself of the rain.

Closing the door, Wendy looked around the main room as discarded toys littered the wooden flooring like haphazard articles. Continuing her assessment as a ceiling light burned above, she could see a door to her left and a staircase to her right.

"Well…which way, Pepper?" She asked the dog who sniffed the air…then moved to the staircase. Slowly following the springy little canine, Wendy limped up the wooden staircase to the only door at the top.

It was partially open, revealing a children's fortress maze of cardboard and blocks in the glooming darkness of the room…and an open bathroom nearby. Reaching the room in a minute, Wendy promptly closed and locked the door behind her as Pepper sat on the white tile.

"_Either she was well trained…or is just really happy to be around a living person…"_ Wendy idly thought as she opened the medicine cabinet over the sink…and sighed at the supplies inside. Grabbing the needle, thread, and alcohol, she started to prepare herself as she looked in the mirror at her reflection.

"God…is that what I look like?" She asked herself of the bloody graze along her temple. It had been a glancing blow…a graze that if it had been even half an inch to the left would've ended her life._ "I'm damn lucky to be alive right now. Heh…just like Sam"_

Tracing her fingers along the furrow of flesh near her temple, Wendy winced as it continued to seep blood. Looking at the rest of herself in the mirror, the fifteen year old studied the numerous scratches and abrasions over her body armor…which didn't even include the fresh bullet impact. Her blue hair was matted down and just _looked_ exhausted as she continued to prepare the needle with thread.

"You know Pepper? This is going to fucking suck…" Wendy told the dog as she unscrewed the bottle of medical alcohol…and splashed some against the fresh wound. It fizzled and popped, the sterilization killing bacteria as Wendy let out a studded gasp.

"Yip!"

"I'm…ungh…that did fucking suck" she told the chihuahua before picking up the needle and thread. Taking a deep breath in a final preparation, the female moved the needle under the nearby skin to stitch the seeping furrow shut as her eyes watered. Her body couldn't help it…her eyes need an outlet as she continued to sew and sew as her new companion looked up in worry and curiosity.

Working back and forth as she slowly sewed the skin shut over the next few minutes, Wendy let out another gasp of sharp pain as she gave the thread one final tug to ensure closure. Picking up some tiny scissors, she cut the thread as the blood flow turned into a light trickle.

"Thanks for staying" she told the dog who was looking up at her with curiosity and big, brown eyes. Grasping some nearby medical gauze, the teenager started to wrap it around her head in an effort to keep it clean and sanitized…but knew that it would need to be checked again as the pain became…slightly bearable.

"When I see that bastard…I'm going to kill the shit outta him!" Wendy snarled as she grasped her pistol that had been resting on the porcelain sink.

"Yip! Yip!"

"You're not wrong Pepper, his death will be awful" Wendy responded to the little dog as she unlocked the door. Keeping her guard up as she moved into the playroom, Marvell finally noticed the door at the far end.

"What do you think? Could be something valuable through there" she indicated while her footsteps inched her forward. A small snort and sneeze from her traveling partner didn't tell her much as she opened the second door to a new hallway.

A window was right before her as the hallway took a rapid turn to the right. Sounds of pattering rain and thunder rumbled against the glass…but for the moment it was a distraction as the girl and dog started their search of the upper floor.

It turned out to be pointless. After ten minutes of searching rooms meant for children, Wendy found nothing of note or value as the two headed back downstairs to the main lobby.

"What a waste of time…" she cursed herself as the blunette marched across the main hall to the final door she hadn't checked. A small whimper from the Chihuahua marked the creature's agreement as the human slowly twisted the knob. Opening the door to a new hallway painted in dark blue, she could feel some of the dread returning as she stepped into the darkened hallway. Lightning flashed outside, making shadows jump and quiver as she placed one foot in front of the other with her pistol raised.

"_No hesitation…make him a corpse the moment you see him. That…that fucker murdered without reason and plans on giving Claire and the others a horrible fate. I have to stop him"_ She reminded herself as Pepper's little toenails clicked against the wood flooring. It was the only sound aside from the storm ravaging the city outside as she reached the corner of the hallway.

Swinging around the corner, it led to a partially open doorway as a smear of blood traced along the blue paint of the wall. Touching it lightly, the crimson came away damp before she wiped it on her pants.

"Yeah…he definitely came this way…" Wendy whispered as she pushed the wooden partition open with a creak of movement. Moving into the area, her eyes found nothing but a study. Books lined the far wall in a massive bookshelf, some of them decades old as dim electric lights cast more shadows around her. Glancing to her left, she saw a large, oaken desk in the corner while an overstuffed chair sat opposite near a small end table. A glass of whiskey was still out, only half of it consumed as the amber liquid seemed to reflect more of the light.

"The hell? Where is he?" She asked herself as the Chihuahua started to sniff around the floor. Watching the little dog for a moment, Pepper was soon sniffling her nose at the base of the middle bookshelf.

"Bark! Bark!"

The dog then bristled, her ears flattening as she continued to bark at the wall of books.

"Oh…don't tell me…" Wendy groaned as her head throbbed. Running her hands along the wall, she started to tilt books before grasping one of the wall lamps in an antique housing. Giving a yank, it tilted forward as the bookshelf slid away and into the wall to reveal a secret staircase of stone.

"How cliché is this guy? He's like a bond villain, but worse" she asked herself before taking the first step into the unknown. Raising her gun once more as the shadows jumped and shifted, Wendy took a deep breath to steady her frayed nerves. Everything so far had just been a nightmare…and this guy was far more dangerous than some flesh eating zombie.

"_Stay calm…just stay calm and quiet" _she told herself with a whisper of dread and the unknown. Keeping her breathing as steady as possible despite her injuries, Wendy descended against her fear as Pepper started to jump down each step…

**Unknown Location…**

Claire gave a small groan as her mind slowly regained consciousness. Taking a shallow breath, she heard a light voice coming from her left as the fog webs started to fade.

"Claire?"

She groaned, her eyes trying to focus as she tilted her head upwards. The bright light burned making her blink rapidly as they tried to adjust to the illumination from above.

"Claire? Are you alright?" the voice asked again as she slowly turned her head to the source. A blonde woman came into view, her hair a stringy mess while her body was covered by a white robe.

"C…Cindy?" Claire croaked…then it came back. Tom's murder…their capture and drugging by Irons. Panicking, she tried to rise up but found herself restrained. Looking down, the Redfield woman finally noticed her lack of clothing with the exception of her bra and panties. Ropes tied her wrists down to an old chair, their strands thick and tight as she tried to break free…with zero success. But…he hadn't bound her feet which could be useful.

"_Oh god…did that monster…touch me?"_ she recoiled in horror at what Irons had done while she was unconscious. Her cleavage and bare skin must've been part of his sick fantasy as her chest rose and fell with each fearful breath.

"Cindy? Wh…where are we?"

"We're in the basement…" a second voice chimed in as Claire swiveled her head to the right…and almost cried. A large, rusting cage of iron hung from the dirty ceiling as the overhead lights burned brightly, casting the situation in a new light. Sherry was inside, her knees curled up to her chest as she tried not to cry.

"Oh god…Sherry…"

"I'm sorry Claire…he made me help tie you up. If I didn't…he would've hurt you…" the ten year old whispered before she ducked her head back into her arms and knees.

"It's okay, Sherry. I'm not mad at you for that" Claire tried to say in reassurance as she started to study the room in horrific detail. It was square and lined with old brick as a single door set in the far wall remained closed. Several…large, medieval tools hung off the walls while a stainless steel table took up the center with another blonde woman laying upon it. Her wrists and legs were shackled, confining the beautiful limbs as her ample chest rose and fell. Near her head was a small tray with scalpels, bone saws, and other instruments that made her fear rise. _"Please…don't let him use that on us…"_

"She was drugged already when he brought her in. I don't know her name" Cindy informed Claire who gave a nervous nod.

"Where did Iron's go?"

"I don't know. He came in with a bleeding shoulder and left after tying down this other woman. He hasn't come back since" Cindy relayed to Claire.

"Okay. Well, we need to find a way out of here before he gets back. If we don't…we're dead" Redfield relayed to her friend as she struggled against the bindings once more. Her hands and body were tight against the chair and armrests, but an idea started to form as her feet moved.

"Hnghh!" Claire grunted as she pushed off and steadied herself on her feet. Taking a step forward in an awkward crouch, she didn't realize how cold the floor was until she stepped the first time. In fact…this whole room had a deep chill that sent goosebumps up her skin. Starting to awkwardly crabwalk toward the table and medical tools, the brunette realized she must've looked ridiculous.

A stirring of noise to her right made her freeze in her movements, but it quickly passed as the third woman stirred awake.

"Wa…where am I?" she asked in a fearful voice as she tried to struggle against her restraints. Looking to her side, she saw Claire crouched over with a chair tied to her back as tears washed down her cheeks.

"Please…please help me!"

"I'm trying. Just please…be quiet"

"But he's gonna kill us! Just like Wendy!" the busty blonde cried out as more tears flowed. She didn't want to die and the police chief was going to kill them all. _"God…he's probably going to rape me first…" _Elizabeth thought with dread as she tried to move her wrists or ankles…but they were still restrained by steel bands attached to the table. She wouldn't be able to break them at all.

It was a punch to the gut. Hearing that the young woman had also fell victim to the murderous Irons as Claire heard Cindy gasp from the news. She liked Wendy…she was a tough, level-headed young woman…and now she was dead, just like so many others.

Setting her face in a hard glare, Claire was determined to make Chief Irons pay dearly for all he's done. Taking another few steps forward on her bare feet, she reached the tray of scalpels and tools. Setting her chin down on the cool metal, Claire jutted it forward toward the closest instrument she could reach…which happened to have a sharp blade.

Pinning it between her chin and the smooth surface, Claire started to drag it slowly but surely forward before it reached the lip of the tray.

"Cindy…I'm gonna drop this in your hand. Be ready…and don't drop it" she said evenly before dragging the tool over the lip…and pinning it under her chin as tight as possible. Claire could feel the cold metal against her lower neck as she turned…and prayed to not drop it as she kept her head tilted downward.

Waddling over to the waitress, Claire slowly eased herself to her knees as she hovered over the open palm of Cindy. Straightening her neck, the scalpel dropped into the waiting hand.

"Yess!" Cindy silently cheered as Claire sat down next to her with relief.

"Good catch. Now start cutting my rope" Claire instructed as she brought her bound wrist right near the blade that twinkled in the light. Shifting her fingers, Cindy started to slide the blade back and forth as it started to sever and ruin the threads of rope.

"You're not going to leave us, are you?" The table bound blonde asked with a shaky voice.

"No, I'm not…um…"

"Elizabeth Warren. I'm the mayor's daughter…" she started to say until an echoing noise of a slamming door reverberated through the air.

"Shit! He's coming!" Claire hissed as she started to shift her bound wrist in unison with Cindy's cutting.

"Cindy…please hurry" Sherry whispered as she clenched the bars of her cage.

"I'm trying!" Lennox replied with a shaky panic as she continued to awkwardly cut the rope with a sense of urgency she's never felt before. Strand after strand sprung away in ruination as Claire continued to assist.

"_These damn whores…I'm gonna cure them all with my righteousness. After all…women deserve to be saved with their purity intact"_ Brian spoke from the other side of the door as keys jangled like wind chimes. His voice instilled a subconscious fear in all the females present as the last few strands broke away.

'_**Snap!'**_

The right wrist was free as Claire grabbed the scalpel and untied her left wrist in barely five seconds. Her face was contorted in fearful dread as the lock tumbled, its sound echoing through the room as she finally broke free of the restraints.

Gripping the small knife, there was only one option left in their bid to survive as Redfield ran around the table to hide in the door's blind spot.

The olden wooden door with iron bandings swung open, revealing Brian Irons in the outfit of the pope including a large hat as his robes dragged across the floor.

"Time to cure you women of your sins for you are wret-!" he started to say as his eyes finally registered one of his victims was missing from the room

"DIE!" Claire screamed out as she came around and stabbed the tiny blade into his right eye. Blood spurted and juices from the destroyed orb flowed down his cheek as Irons let out an unholy wail.

"AAAAAUUUUGHHHH! YOU FUCKING WHORE!" He screamed in painful fury as he tried to back hand Claire. His meaty fist missed the woman who ducked…and promptly kicked the male in the balls as hard as he could.

"HUnngh!" Irons gasped out as the horrid pain from his eye wracked his body. Feeling the blood dripping down his cheek, he turned and ran out the door.

"My gun! I need to get my gun!" He gasped while running, his heavy footsteps thudding against the stone floorings as he turned at the intersection toward his secluded bedroom and bathroom. It was where he was going to cure the Redfield slut of her mouth…but he froze in his tracks at the person standing before him.

"Irons…you fucker!" Wendy shouted as she raised her weapon and fired. The gun barked fire as the slug tore through his left side, splotching his robes with crimson as new pain raced up his body.

"You…you bitch! I killed you!" he cried out in fear and anger before he turned and ran back the way he came. Taking a right, two more bullets pinged off brickwork as stone chips spun into his hair.

"SHIT!" Wendy cursed as she ran forward with Pepper tagging along. Her gun wafted smoke, tendrils snaking upward as a familiar face appeared in the intersection from the left.

Slowing to a stop as her breasts heaved against her bra, Claire's eyes widened as Wendy ran up to her…alive and well.

"I heard you died?" Claire asked as her younger companion shook her head.

"Later. We need to kill this bastard for good" Wendy urged as she turned and started to sprint down the hall after the police chief. Claire followed, her bare feet padding in unison as she glanced at the gauze wrapped around the blunette's head…and the little dog following close by.

"Is that a chihuahua?"

"Yes. Her name's Pepper and she is awesome" Wendy gasped out as they approached the secret staircase to the orphanage. A streak of blood dragged along the wall…and it was still fresh as panicked sounds reached them from above.

Surging up the staircase, the trio gave chase to the despicable male as he raced ahead. Echoes of pouring rain and thunder grew louder as the women ran down the blue hallway toward the main hall.

Stopping at the doorway, Wendy snarled as Irons pushed the orphanage entrance open before staggering into the never-ending storm. She had missed her shot as she lowered her weapon and ran forward toward the double doors with an angry snarl.

Rain sleeted in as more thunder rumbled above, but Wendy could see Irons racing across the yard toward the distant gate.

"IRONS!" Wendy screamed out as she raised her weapon. A gust of wind staggered her, making her aim quiver as the teenager tried to peer through the storm.

"Shoot him!" Claire urged as the police chief fumbled with the lock…and flung the wooden gate open.

"Just wait Claire…" Wendy said deliberately as she re-steadied her aim. The laser sight bore into his back, just waiting to be fired.

"GAH!" He cried out as two zombies surged toward him, their maws hungry and waiting for flesh. "Get away from me you piece's of shit!" he hollered while pushing them away. Too bad he forgot about the girl with the gun standing on the porch.

'**BANG!'**

The gunshot echoed through the yard as the bullet tore through Irons spine, instantly paralyzing him from the waist down. Collapsing onto the waterlogged grass, his eyes were of panic and fear as he tried to crawl back toward the building.

"HELP ME! OH GOD! HELP ME!" Brian screamed for help and mercy as the two infected dropped to their knees. Lowering their heads, the first dug into his back as its teeth tore and ripped away a strip of flesh through the dirty robe. The second did the same, its hungry maw ripping away part of Iron's ear and cheek as his wails of pain continued.

"HELP ME! THEY'RE…AAAUGGHHHH!"

His screams were drowned out by the thunder crashing above as the two zombies continued to feed and tear the flesh from his bones. By now, they were digging into his back, pulling away strands of muscle and bloody viscera as his wails of misery slowly faded as the dead fed on his warm flesh and skin. A string of intestine was being pulled out past his liver, its surface covered with gristle as the undead started to snack and slurp on the freshly killed human.

Looking at his bloodied face, all the women could see was the last moments of terror the man had felt as the rain poured down.

"Okay…let's get the others" Claire finished as the two women quickly shut the door and locked it. Taking a deep lungful of air, Redfield studied Wendy and the little dog as they walked in silence. _"Is it bad I don't feel pity at all? No…he was a monster and deserved this"_

Dispelling the thought, the older woman gave a light shiver as they moved on from what they had just participated in.

A few minutes later the trio was back in the hidden basement as they walked down the hallway lined with cold stone and flickering lights. Arriving at the same intersection, Claire glanced down the hallway towards the chief's private room.

"I'm going to find my clothes. The others are straight ahead" Claire pointed as whispers of fear and dread permeated the air before them.

"Got it. By the way, I have your stuff" Wendy replied as the almost nude woman nodded.

"Thanks Wendy…I'll, uh see you in a minute" Redfield responded as she started to walk down the hall with a sway of feminine hips. Watching her disappear into the distant room, Wendy gave a painful sigh as her head throbbed.

"God…I'd kill for some fucking aspirin right now" she groaned out as Pepper looked up at her in curiosity. Giving a small shake of her head, Wendy moved down the deserted hallway to the prison cell.

"Oh god! Wendy! You're alright!" Elizabeth cheered out from her place on the table. Working against the still bound restraints, the bountiful blonde woman struggled as Sherry and Cindy gained relief on their respective features.

"Is he…is he gone?" Sherry asked from her corner cage in a light whisper.

"Yeah, He's dead. Now lets get you all outta here" the fifteen year old stated as she moved toward Cindy and started to unbind the knots. They were quickly loosened, letting the waitress stand free of the chair as she rubbed her wrists. Glancing as Wendy moved toward Sherry with…a brown Chihuahua in close proximity, Lennox moved to Elizabeth and started to unlock the leg and hand restraints with rapidity.

"Hey Cindy. I found our clothes…sorry they're still bloody" Claire stated as she walked in and set down the articles on the now empty table. Grabbing her pants, Redfield was already sliding them over her slender legs as Cindy started to do the same with her own belongings.

A squeal of hinges from the corner had the three adult females look to the source before a small smile graced Claire's lips.

"Come on Sherry, I got you" Wendy promised as the younger, shorter girl lowered herself to the floor with assistance.

"Thanks…" girl said with a quiver of fear as she hunched her shoulders and tried to shrink down into a corner. Feeling a warm hand on her shoulder, the ten year old looked up at the bandaged head of Wendy as she gave a small grin.

"Hey, it's okay. Myself and Claire stopped him. He can't hurt any of us again. In fact, you were so brave that I have a special mission for you"

"A…A special mission?"

"That's right! And it's perfect for someone like you!"

Stooping down, Marvell picked up Pepper, the little dog having a small grin on its face as she handed the canine to Sherry.

"This is Pepper. She's a tough survivor like you, but she needs your help to keep her safe…can you do that while I keep the monsters away?"

Holding the little dog to her chest, Sherry smiled at how cute the animal was as her eyes warmed up. "I promise to do my best"

"That a girl" Wendy finished as she unslung the backpack and walked over toward the others. Swinging it onto the table, she lightly explained. "Grab your guns and ammo. I'm sick of carrying all this shit around"

"Don't worry, I'll be the pack mule for us all" Claire teased as she retrieved her .38 and ammunition. Handing the spare to Cindy and the 9mm Barretta to Elizabeth, the women found them selves armed again as they made final preparations. Swinging the pack over her shoulder's minutes later, Claire adjusted the straps as Elizabeth clutched her firearm in her slender fingers.

"So how to do we get out of here? Do we go back the way we came?" The mayor's daughter asked as Redfield gave a small grin.

"Nope. Follow me. Turns out, Irons had an emergency escape hatch to the sewers below this place in his bedroom"

Not wasting a moment, the women followed Claire in stride toward the mentioned room as the cold air made them shiver. Reaching their destination, the five moved in to reveal a horribly decorated room with a large, heart shaped bed with velvet sheets and red lamps.

"This is so fucking tacky…ungh…" Wendy hissed as she leaned against the wall. Her head pounded, the nerves of today fraying her even more as Cindy looked at her in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"I got shot in the head and stomach…how do you think I'm doing!?" She snapped back before pinching the bridge of her nose to try and get a handle on herself. Taking a breath, Wendy glanced at Cindy who was still looking at her in worry.

"Sorry…let's…let's just hurry and get the hell out of here" she grimaced as Claire and Warren moved to the corner near a wall of women's pictures…and they had all been taken in this room.

"Are these….his victims?" the mayor's daughter asked in horror at the dozen photos of women in various states of undress. She didn't even notice the trap door in the corner as the steel plate and circle handle sat in silence near the wall of…trophies.

"Don't think about. Now help me lift this" Claire urged as she grasped the handle. Doing as she asked, Elizabeth grunted and used her legs to lift as the two women finally opened the hatch.

"How…how the hell could my father let someone like that be chief of police?" the blonde asked herself as Claire peered down into the gloom. A low glow of light was at the bottom of the ladder, but nothing else could be seen as she swung and took the first step.

"Probably bribes or blackmail. But forget that. I'm going to check it out. If it's safe all of you follow" she reasoned before her body disappeared into the looming darkness.

Claire felt the clammy moisture on the rungs through her fingers, but she pushed the sensation away as her shoes clanged against the metal rungs. The smells of rot and sewage tickled her nose, but it was manageable as she reached the metal catwalk. Raising her revolver, Claire studied the area as the echoing drips of water sounded from her left.

The walkway went straight for about thirty feet then turned left onto a concrete path as bare bulbs hummed above. Taking a few cautious steps forward, she looked down over the side to the bowels of the city and saw nothing but gloom and shadows. Returning her gaze before her, Claire took another few steps.

"Hello?"

Nothing moved. No sounds of the undead or monsters…just the dripping of water and the mild smell of sewage. Taking another ragged breath as strands of hair hung before her eyes, she moved to the corner and took a quick peek.

A deserted pathway that led to a rusting, metal door fifty feet away was the only option as the possibility of attack diminished. Hurrying back to the ladder with clanging footsteps, she looked upward and saw Elizabeth and Sherry looking down. The little dog was wedged against the girls bosom, its face content with being held.

"It's safe! And there's a door further ahead!"

"Are you sure?" Sherry asked with a tendril of worry.

"I am. I just checked. There's nothing down here. Now why don't you climb down?" Claire smiled to the girl who nodded. Grasping the ladder, she slowly made it to the bottom with Pepper before the other women made their own descent.

Making their way to the mentioned doorway, Wendy and Claire took up both sides as the three others waited nearby.

"On three…" Claire whispered as she grasped the dirty knob. Seeing Wendy with her gun ready, both women gave a silent nod before the rusting partition was kicked open. Rushing into the next section, the two were greeted by a lone zombie weaving in a drunken stance halfway down the walkway. It had been a city worker judging by the hardhat, but that was a minor detail as the ravaged face missing splotches of skin turned toward the noise with a hungry moan.

"Save your ammo. It's just one" Wendy stated as she grasped her bat. Marching forward as Claire cursed at the girl, Wendy waited patiently as the corpse started to stagger and limp toward her.

"Dammit Wendy! I could've handled it"

"Your complaint is noted and discarded" She answered back…just before she swung at the man's head. The bat cracked against the temple, flinging some teeth and other flesh loose as it grunted from the blow.

"Tough bastard aren't ya!" Wendy swung again before the infected could regain its balance. The second blow cratered the temple, bowing in the skull as the body slumped to the concrete floor. Marching up, the teenager swung twice more as bits of gore spattered outward from the deadly blows.

"Christ…beating them to death is such a pain" the girl gasped as the body stopped twitching and moving. Walking past as rancid blood trickled from the bat, she studied the empty corridor that led to yet another distant door. Feeling Claire walk up next to her as the others shuffled past the body, Wendy cocked an eye upward at the taller female.

"Let me take the next one, okay? Your wounded and I don't want you getting killed. I can tell your moving slower and that's not good. Just…let us help each other"

Wendy winced as another bout of pain raced along her temple. The stitching and bandages were holding…but the random spurts of trauma wouldn't fade. If the situation was normal, she'd be on heavy painkillers in a hospital…not fighting zombies and other horrors.

"Fine… But I'll step in if needed" she replied with a heavy breath as Claire smiled.

"That's all I ask"

"Um…shouldn't we get going? After all, we need to get to that street car right?" Cindy asked as she studied the little dog.

"Yip!"

"_So cute!"_

"Yeah…yeah we should" Claire replied as the group started toward the next door in this path to their survival…

**The Street Car October 1****st**** 2:02 p.m.**

Allyssa sighed as she studied the opened maintenance panel of the engine. By all appearances, it was functional since there were no destroyed wires or any damage of note, but it was missing components as well.

"Honestly…who the hell leaves this damn car without a working fuse or motor oil?" she hissed in annoyance as Leon stood nearby, his eyes studying a mechanics booklet on the operation of the street car they had taken refuge in.

"Actually, it's not just motor oil, but a mixture with a fuel additive"

"You know what I meant" the reporter replied with a clipped tone as she rose from her haunches with a tired and aching groan. Adjusting the digital camera over her left breast that had been clipped to her harness, the woman smiled as the battery was still mostly full. It meant almost three straight days of recording for her. And most importantly, she could remain hands free. Turning around, she glanced around the first portion of the street car at some of the other survivors.

Elliot was peering out the window, trying to keep a lookout through the storm at the dead city. He was lightly humming…most likely to distract himself from the situation. On the opposite side was Ada, the stunning beauty digging through abandoned bags and suitcases for anything useful. Her search had been fruitless as most of them contained the standard civilian items like clothes or dead cell phones. Tossing the latest satchel away, it was clear by her frustrated look that the last bag had been empty as well.

"Well Allyssa, we do know that Claire had that bottle of motor oil. We just have no idea where she or the others are now"

"Hopefully not with Irons" Elliot chimed in as he studied a lone zombie stumbling around a car across the road. It hadn't seen him or the others, its attention on a burning store as it weaved through snarls of traffic on its slow limp to the flames.

"Same here. But if Claire is anything like Chris, then the chief should be running for his life. Not to mention that Wendy's probably after him" Jill stated as she crossed her arms under her damp bust. Leaning against one of the support poles, she studied the open door to the second car as the voices of Rita and Marvin wafted toward them. To be honest with herself, she new Marvin was tough…but to make it this far?

"_It's a shame he didn't lead S.T.A.R.S. instead of Wesker…he would've been great at it" _Jill lightly reminisced as she turned her attention back to the group. They were already talking, moving the conversation on as she tried to refocus.

"The gas station nearby might have what we need. I think it's worth a check. Plus, it's not like we're going anywhere without that fuse and fuel. And I hate to say it, but we're going to need food and water soon. There could be some there" Leon reasoned as he turned to Valentine.

"What do you think?"

"Oh…um. Yeah. It would be the best place to start" she responded as the rain continued to hammer the metallic roof of the vehicle. More thunder rumbled, vibrating her bones as Allyssa grasped her pistol.

"I'll go. Sitting here is making me crazy and I have to do something"

"Not alone you're not. I'm not going to let a civilian traverse these streets without help from the police" Leon added in as he stared the reporter down.

Allyssa sighed at the man's naïve words. Yes, he was brave, handsome and resourceful, but his mantra from the police academy probably didn't cover zombie outbreaks…especially since most of his fellow officers were dead. But for all she knew, it was his way of staying sane. To grasp onto the law's he learned to get him through this whole situation.

"I'll join you" Valentine added in as she moved toward the duo. But a raised hand from Leon stopped her in her tracks.

"Jill. I know your tough and competent out there, but that Nemesis is after you. If it spots you out there again…we might not have the means to escape. Or shake it from our tail this time. For the safety of yourself and the others, I think you should lay low and stay here"

Valentine paused, her footsteps unsure as the words hit home. And when she thought about it…Leon was right. That thing was after _her_ specifically. It only seemed to target the others when they got in the way.

"Damn…fine" She huffed out before setting her shapely rear on an upholstered seat. Crossing her legs, she looked out the window while crossing her arms once more.

"Don't worry Jill, I'll keep an eye on them" Ada told the woman as she walked past and stood near the side door. Sliding it open, Wong slid through like a wave of womanly silk.

"Well? Don't just stand there handsome, lets get moving" her voice filtered through the drumming rain as Allyssa and Leon descended down the steps to start their mission.

"Man…why does Leon get all the chicks…lucky rookie…" Elliot grumbled as he turned his attention toward the diminishing forms of the trio in the falling rain…

Leon pushed the wooden gate open with a low creak and squeal of hinges as the three moved back into the small yard from the deserted street. Scanning his eyes over the grass and pathway, the officer didn't see anything dangerous as he waved the two women through.

"Man…isn't this storm ever going to end?" Allyssa lightly complained as her feet splashed through a puddle near a manhole. Her clothes were almost plastered to her skin, giving a small chill as Leon and Ada moved ahead with stoic professionalism.

"Doesn't look like it. But I take it as a blessing to mask our movement's" the Asian woman replied as the group moved toward the second door at the end of the path. Pushing it open as the unending storm rumbled on, they stepped on through.

The male officer raised his pistol, eyes scanning in the falling rain as a low moan and gasp of hunger punched through the rain. Shuffling forward to the three way intersection, Leon spotted the lone zombie near a broken barricade at the city hall as it wavered and stood with aimless purpose. It was turned away from him and the others, mindlessly staring at the opened gate to the nearby street of the news station as it rasped lowly.

Lowering his weapon, the man cocked his head toward the third area of the path as the two females nodded. No need to waste ammunition on a lone zombie that wasn't even attacking them. Quickly moving to the unexplored gate, Leon took the lead as his pushed it open with a low squeak of hinges. The rain covered the noise, letting the humans through toward the Galaga Gas Station as their vision took in the sight.

A car had been crushed by a bus nearby, the larger transport sitting at a cockeyed angle as it blocked most of the distant roadway. Beyond it was a tangle of more cars and trucks that had collided with each other or nearby building surfaces as a sedan burned lightly to their right. The stench of burning flesh mixed in with the freshness of rain made the smell...slightly less horrible.

Taking a step forward, Ada Wong studied a truck that had collided with the center column of the pump overhang as rain sluiced over the crumpled hood and dripped to the pavement littered with garbage and broken glass. Right near the truck and wedged between the twin pumps was a large fuel drum that was painted a bright orangish red. She had no idea why it was there…but it was as the others looked around and the destruction.

"What a mess" She added while keeping a tight grip on her weapon.

"No shit" Allyssa added as the reporter pointed to the station proper. It was intact…for the most part as a repair garage was adjoined to the store. Walking forward as her shoes crunched an empty bag of chips underneath, the blonde woman spotted splatters of blood along the window.

"Safe to say that monsters were here" Leon observed as he moved toward the entrance.

"Did you learn that at the academy, smart guy?" Ada teased lightly as Leon shook his head. Ignoring the light jab, he thought it would be best to not annoy his female companions.

"Sure, why not? I took a whole class on it" He answered lightly before opening the glass door. Well, it had glass at one point as it crunched against the linoleum of the floor. Stepping in with the others, they could smell the coppery tinge of blood and rancid gore among the knocked over display shelves and scattered sodas and snacks. A small display fridge with water, Gatorade, and a few energy drinks was still on display to their left near the counter, the surface smudged with bloody fingerprints. A stack of magazines had spilt across the floor, the crumpled image of the women from 'the View' smudged with dirt and dried blood.

Tracking her eyes around the room away from the ruined magazine, Allyssa studied the display case behind the counter as it sat open with numerous bottles of automotive fuels. Most of them were useless to them, only for use in compact cars or small trucks, but an orange bottle stood out to her as she moved around the counter. Passing a darkened doorway to the garage on her small journey, she almost gagged at the sight behind the counter.

The attendant…or what was left of him was slumped against the wall as the majority of his body had been…eaten. Internal organs had fallen out past the ravaged lungs and torn intestines as dozens of bite marks and rips of flesh covered the ruin of his body. A bullet hole in the forehead ensured the man hadn't reanimated as the empty eye sockets stared into nothingness.

"That's…disgusting" Allyssa gulped as she knew she should be used to it, but silently prayed she would never get so used to death. A clang from the garage had her spin on her heel, the pistol halfway raised as a zombie loomed in the doorway. The former man was wearing a red beret and military body armor spattered with dried blood and bits of flesh. Vile bites had been ripped out of the left arm, showing the tale of how this poor soul turned.

But these details were barely registered by Allyssa as the undead man lunged at her.

"FUCK!" Allyssa cried out as she fired point blank in a moment of panic. The gun barked, illuminating the store as the slug hammered against his armored chest. But it did little to faze the attacker as it made a rapid lunge toward the female. The zombie growled with hunger as the hands latched onto the blonde's shoulders, preventing her from bringing her gun to bear.

"SHIT! LEON! HELP!" She cried out as rancid and dead breath hit her face and senses. Barely managing to raise her left hand under its chin in time, the teeth snapped and bit the air an inch from her face as her back hit the wall. Fear climbed against her heart as the attacker snarled and rasped, the dead eyes baying for her warm flesh as she felt it slowly winning.

"_Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!"_ Her panicked thoughts raced as the dead teeth snapped centimeters from her nose. That time she could almost feel the bite…and next time it would win as the larger body reared back for a third attempt with an open maw of disease and viral death.

"ALLYSSA!" Leon shouted as he brought his pistol up and fired one of the best shots in his life. His stance was firm and true as the bullet burst from the barrel and zipped across the store in an instant. Punching through the side of the head near the left ear, bits of bone and gore spattered against the corner wall as the former soldier slumped to the ground.

Racing around the counter top, Leon was in front of Ashcroft in an instant as her body slightly shook from the close call. Feeling her face gripped by his masculine hands, she completely forgot her digital camera had recorded the whole thing as her adrenaline spiked.

"Are you alright? Did he bite you?" Leon asked with a surprising tenderness as he checked her face and neck for wounds.

"No…no…I'm…god, he came out of n…nowhere, Leon" she said in a quiver as she took deep lungful's of chilled air. She was horribly shaken. Her...Allyssa Ashcroft shivering with adrenaline fueled fear. It made her sick that she couldn't defend herself.

"He was probably standing right around the corner. The second anybody passed, he would've lunged and taken a bite" Ada added in as she glanced toward the tangle of wrecks outside. A diseased rasp wailed over the rain, making her skin crawl as she moved toward the small refrigerator. Pulling the door open, she started to grab whatever she could carry.

"I'll make sure there aren't anymore. You start gathering supplies and take a minute" Leon suggested to the woman as he stepped over the body to explore the attached garage.

"Yeah…thanks…" the man heard her whisper as he walked toward the looming shadows. Flicking on his flashlight, the male passed through the threshold as the cone of light washed over shelving with tools and other items.

The room was deserted. Nothing but dusty shadows and the smells of a garage hinted with rot and blood.

A blue compact car was resting in the middle of the garage, its engine half assembled as discarded parts littered the cold pavement around it. Against the closest car door were dried patches of crimson blood as more had leaked onto the ground near an olive drab duffle bag. A dirty note sat nearby an empty pistol as Leon stooped to pick up the wrinkled paper. Squinting as he illuminated the item with the flashlight, he started to read.

_This mission was doomed from the start. We were giving poor intel on the situation and because of that, most of my platoon was killed in the first few hours of the operation against the horrors that have overtaken this city. Now…now its just myself and Carlos. We decided to hold up in the tram as a temporary base, but we needed to find some parts to get it working again. Our plan is to use it as mobile fortress through the worst parts of the city. If we can reach the clock tower in time, we survive._

_I managed to find a spare fuse at the power substation, but the two of us were separated by some of those…Brain Suckers. They're some of the most horrible things I've ever seen._

A few droplets of blood littered the page before the next paragraph.

_I don't know if Olivera is still alive…but if he is, I won't be. I got surrounded and was bitten by the infected. I lost my rifle in the attack…not like it matters since I was out of ammunition. For the time being I took refuge in this gas station to rest. But…I…I can feel it happ…en..ing…the slow loss of self and… humanity._

_If you find me…end my reanimation._

_-Lieutenant Mikhail Victor_

"I'm sorry Mikhail…" Leon whispered as he pocketed the note and picked up the duffle bag. Opening it, he found a long fuse and a few cans of food as he quickly moved to the front room. A small pile of snacks, chips and drinks were currently inhabiting the counter-top as Ada checked the pockets of the dead soldier on the ground. Giving a silent sigh when they were revealed to be empty, the Asian woman stood up to study Leon.

"I found a fuse for the street car" The man informed the females as Allyssa held the orange bottle from the display.

"Oil Additive" she said solemnly as the rookie officer started to pile everything into the large bag. It took him barely a minute to gather the belongings before swinging the duffle over his broad shoulders. Feeling the weight, he felt his spirts lightly rise from what they had managed to find here.

'_**CLANG!'**_

All the human's jumped, their nerves frayed as they moved to the front of the store and peered outside into the rain…and their blood turned to ice at what they saw.

The door to the wrecked bus nearby had been forced open, its contents like a pustule as zombie after zombie staggered out with insidious hunger. But it wasn't just from the bus, but others shuffling and weaving through the tangle of cars and wrecks from the far side…and they were heading straight for them.

"SHIT! WE HAVE TO LEAVE! NOW!" Allyssa cried out as she stepped onto the pavement outside. The dead were already halfway toward them, their hungry moans grating through their minds as one bumped into the wreck against the main support.

"TO THE GATE!" Leon urged as he started to run with Ada on his trail. Glancing to his right, Leon could easily count a dozen…maybe two dozen surging after them in all manner of decay and infection as their shamble came on like a relentless wave. Eyeing the familiar fuel drum, a crazy idea came to Kennedy as he gripped his trusty firearm.

Allyssa reached the rusting gateway first, throwing it open as rain poured down. She could feel her skin crawl by the dead behind her as she spared a glance back…and blanched at how many there were. But then…the reporter in her knew she had to get a great shot. Turning her body to the encroaching dead, the blonde continued to record the whole thing as she held the gate open with her gun raised. The dead were riled up, walking and stumbling over broken glass and garbage as Ada pushed her through.

"GO YOU DUMB BITCH!" Wong hollered as the fuel station parking lot seemed to fill with the infected. The closest was only twenty feet away and quickly approaching with a face torn to ribbons as the former woman let out a ragged snarl at the fleeing meals.

Turning to face the onslaught, Leon aimed past the encroaching dead as Ada barked at him.

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT! SAVE YOUR AMMO!" She cried out as Leon momentarily froze to aim.

"I hope this works…" He uttered with uncertainty before he fired. The gun barked and spat flame as the lone bullet pierced the air and slammed into the fuel drum. The passage through the metal sparked, igniting the fuel in an instant as it exploded into a large fireball of runaway chemical reactions. But it wasn't done as the explosion ripped into the nearby pumps in less than a second.

'_**WHUMPH!'**_

The entire parking lot blew up in a spectacular explosion as blistering fuel and fire washed over the undead. It mixed in with the abandoned cars and trucks, setting off secondary explosions of destruction as a wave of heat and searing shrapnel incinerated the attackers. Nothing more than burning matchsticks, most were killed or ripped apart by flying metal as Leon was blown off his feet to the wet pavement. A screech of metal hit the ruined car next to him, the passage of a large chunk of ruin leaving nothing but a horrible gouge where he had just been standing.

"Ughhh…I should have…said something cool…" Leon rasped out as heat blasted his face while the rain continued to fall. His ears were ringing from the blast, making his senses dull for the moment as the cobwebs faded.

"Jesus Leon…" Ada muttered with a light chuckle as she extended a hand to help him up. Taking it, the officer climbed to his feet.

"I guess that's one way to stop them" Allyssa admitted as the inferno raged and crackled nearby. Trying to study the building they had just escaped, all the reporter could do was record a few more seconds as she checked the nearby courtyard for threats. Gripping her gun tightly, she could hear distant snarls of the infected as her eyes darted back and forth.

"You know I looked like a badass doing that"

"In your dreams, Kennedy" Wong smirked as their attention was quickly brought back to the situation at hand. Rushing along the brick path, their feet beat against the wet ground, boots and shoes splashing through puddles. A few nearby moans of zombies had them hurry along the bricked pathway as a trio of the infected closed in from the city hall, spurning the three into a light run. The explosion had been a giant dinner bell, because they were moving faster than normal as Allyssa moved toward the second gate. Swinging it open, the trio passed through and sealed it shut with plenty of time to spare.

In minutes, they were back at the street car as the horrible weather gusted a blast of rain into their faces. Trying to shield their eyes, Allyssa opened the door first as the sight of Marvin and Rita in the back car greeted her.

"I really hope Claire and the others can make it here soon" Leon admitted as he moved through the adjoining doors with water dripping from his uniform. Unslinging the large bag, he planned on installing the fuse right away.

"Did…did you find anything? Marvin asked as he leaned his head back against the dirty window. He was doing…tolerable as the MP5 rested in the seat next to him. Slowly leaning forward in his seat, the wounded man tried to wipe the fatigue from his eyes as the bite in his side gave a small throb of pain.

"Some food, drinks, and some stuff for the street car" Ada informed the man as she sat down near the two officer's. Exhaling a deep breath, Wong had to admit Leon had looked good taking out a whole group like that. It was downright sexy.

"_Maybe I should take him with on my retirement. I could use a good looking man after this nightmare"_

"We heard an explosion, was that you? Rita asked from the other side of the car as Ashcroft took a seat behind her.

"Leon actually. Took out a couple dozen of those dead bastards with a single bullet. And I got the whole thing recorded" the reporter informed with smugness before her smile faded. Truth be told…that close call had been terrifying. If Leon hadn't been there…

"_I'd probably be dead now if it wasn't for him"_

Turning away from the group in silence as she relived the horrifying moment, she eyed the destruction outside as the rain continued to fall on a lone zombie's head across the wide roadway.

"_Please hurry, Wendy" _Ashcroft urged as thunder rumbled above in the never ending storm…

Claire pressed her back to the moisture laden wall as she gripped the revolver in her clammy hands. Before her was another T-intersection in this subterranean maze as a path to the…West and East gave her two options. Hearing the low sound of the others breathing over the light droplets of water falling from the ceiling, all she could think about is how…cold she was. Shivering lightly, her eyes darted to the directional nameplate embedded into the wall. The East arrow pointed to the 'South Street Sub Station' while the West arrow pointed toward the 'Lonsdale Street Access'

"_At least we haven't encountered many dead people down here. Only a handful…a small mercy" _Claire told herself. Watching as a small wisp of used air left her lips, she eyed the other women in the group.

Wendy was next to her, the young female trooping through their journey under the city and through this labyrinth of tunnels and passages. The bandage around her head had a hint of blood along the bullet scar, meaning it would need to be changed soon. Next to her along the wall was Cindy, Sherry with the little dog, and Elizabeth who lightly shivered in the chilled air.

Rubbing her arms and trying to warm herself up, Elizabeth could feel her nipples harden in the low temperature as she looked at the others.

"Where are we? And why did it get so cold?"

"We might be near a sewer line or an underground aqueduct. That could drop the temperature easily" the waitress answered back as Redfield nodded.

"It doesn't really matter. We still need to keep moving forward. I'm almost positive we go West" Claire input as Elizabeth stepped up and read the sign. Goosebumps crawled up her skin, making her seem twice as vulnerable in her white dress.

"Your right. That's right near the street car station. I remember a dedication ceremony there in May with my father"

"Then let's hope the others made it already. Everybody…stay alert" Claire ordered the group as she moved from the corner and started to walk down the grated flooring. Her footfalls mixed in with the others as she moved rapidly, her destination on the next doorway two hundred yards away.

"Why does this damn maze have so many doors?" Wendy asked from the middle of the group as Sherry walked next to her with Pepper clutched to her bosom.

"Maybe for emergencies? I don't really know…" the ten year old responded as they continued to move with rapidity down the damp and cold tunnel. Electric lights burned above, casting insidious shadows across the women and the walls as the door loomed closer.

It was partially open, spatters of blood covering the metal surface as a long gouge of claws had raked down the center.

"That doesn't look good…" Cindy whispered as her instincts started to rise in fear.

"Grrrrr…."

Pepper seemed to bristle in Sherry's arms, her ears flattened and teeth bared as the group slowed to a halt. Maintaining silence, Claire raised her weapon as she moved toward the gore covered door. Eyeing the flickering lights inside as insidious rasping became known, she gulped heavily as she moved to the threshold and peered in.

A slaughter of bodies inhabited the machinery room as the corpses of five sewer workers lay in crimson puddles all around the floor or propped up against the walls. Entrails and other pieces of rotting meat lay merely five feet away from her as flies buzzed with hunger…but this wasn't the true horror as she saw the second doorway across the underground room open and sporting a spray of red fluid.

No, it was the skinless monsters feeding on the flesh of the dead as their exposed brains glistened in the flickering light. One of them pulled out the throat of a man, the gore spraying as the needle like teeth chewed and chewed the viscera in a sickly noise. It hissed, unraveling a long, swaying tongue in the cold air as three more of the monsters fed on other victims. Their faces were eyeless…and completely terrifying to Redfield as she started to aim at one of the creatures.

"Wha—" Claire started to utter in terrified disbelief before a hand clamped over her mouth and dragged her back. Eyes widening in terror, she felt her heart race as Wendy brought her back through the door. Seeing the girl, Claire found herself released as she started to open her mouth to scold the girl, but was immediately halted by Wendy's terrified eyes.

Raising a finger to her lips, she made the universal signature for silence as she turned to every girl in the group.

"_No sound. Lickers" _she mouthed in dreadful terror at Claire and the others as she slowly pulled the .357 magnum from her hip pouch. The worst part? They all knew that they needed to cross this room and get to the other side.

Sherry gripped Pepper tight, pressing the little dog to her chest as Cindy set a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Watching as Wendy slowly stepped into the room with careful and light footsteps, Sherry started to follow as Claire moved behind to take up the rear with Elizabeth.

The mayor's daughter wanted to scream as one of the…skinless nightmares hissed nearby and waved its tongue through the air. It passed by her head, missing by inches as her shoe stepped in something soft…and squishy. Looking down, she almost lost her lunch from the strand of torn intestine underneath her foot. Feeling a hand grip her own, she felt Claire's warming touch along her palm as they took another careful step forward.

Sherry tried not to look at the monsters and dead people as she held Pepper tight. Taking another small step forward as one of the monsters hissed to her left, Cindy gripped her shoulder tighter as the women moved through the room of death and coppery gore.

Wendy was two thirds there as the over head lights flicked and wavered, casting the room in occasional darkness. Stepping over a…severed arm still clutching a wrench, she kept her magnum raised on the closest abomination as it dug into the entrails of a worker.

"_Seriously! I have to deal with these fucking things again! What are the odds of that!?"_ she mentally screamed as she placed her right foot down before her left. Reaching the blood spattered door as tingles of damp sweat collected on her back, Wendy moved to the side as she covered her friends.

The lightest sound or movements from the lickers made her nervous, the teenager wanting to kill them…every fiber of her being wanted to destroy these crimes against life. But Wendy knew better as Sherry, Pepper and Cindy passed through the doorway with visible signs of relief.

'_**Rumble'**_

The ground and walls trembled from nearby, shaking dust loose as one of the long light bulbs swung downward in a glowing and flickering arc. But it didn't last as it broke free on the backswing before it smashed against the dirty concrete floor in a bloom of shattered glass. And only five feet from Elizabeth and Claire who had terrified disbelief on their faces.

'_**SHHHHRRRIIIIEEEK!'**_

"FUCK IT! RUN YOU TWO!" Wendy screamed out as she aimed and fired at the closest monster. The discharge raced up her arms, making the girl wince against the strain as the empty casing flew away in a brief moment. The licker's maw of teeth were covered in gore and strands of flesh…right before the heavy magnum slug tore through its exposed brain. Pink matter spattered against a nearby generator, coating it in a rainbow of death as the last two women ran for their lives toward the door.

"DAMMIT! WE ALMOST MADE IT TOO!" Claire yelled out as she ran toward the door with the lickers already scurrying and clicking along the floor.

"YELLING WON'T HELP!" Elizabeth shouted back…just as the room was hit with another tremor of wall shaking intensity. The far wall cracked, the spiderweb of lines spreading outward as something…hit it.

"JUST GO YOU IDIOTS!" Marvell yelled as the wall trembled again…then burst inward. Cinderblocks flew and dust wavered in the chilled air as the attacking lickers were drawn toward the new noise like moths as the last two women made it to group.

And the last thing Wendy saw before she raced through and slammed the door was a worm the size of a truck moving into the room….with rows and rows of deadly teeth.

"Run! Just fucking run!" the girl urged as the howls and trembling behind them grew louder and stronger.

Not needing a second warning, the group of five women raced down the subterranean path toward the ladder fifty feet away as new dread filled their hearts.

"What…what the hell was that!?" Cindy cried out as she looked back…and heard the shriek of a monster dying.

"Giant worm! Just get to that ladder!" Elizabeth cried out as her chest rose and fell.

"Claire…" Sherry stuttered out as she ran, a look of grimness in her eyes as the older woman ran next to her.

"It'll be alright, Sherry. We're almost there"

Cindy reached the ladder first, her clammy hands gripping the cold bars as she rapidly climbed upwards toward the sealed manhole.

"Please don't let there be zombies on the other side…"

Pushing and grunting, the waitress used her shoulder to lift and heave the iron plate out of the way in a show of surprising strength and desperation.

Rain poured down as lightning lit the sky above, which immediately plastered her blonde hair down as she pushed the manhole cover away. Taking a rapid survey, she found herself in the middle of a small park path that was deserted of the dead. Climbing up, she turned around to find Sherry already climbing upward with her little dog.

"It's clear! Hurry up!"

'**CRASH!'**

Elizabeth swiveled on her heel, her larger breasts trying to sway as the closed metal door was ripped off its hinges…and the worm started to slither through. Adrenaline fueled fear hitched her throat as the monster methodically made its way toward them with deadly intent.

"Hurry!" the woman panicked as she gripped the first rung and started to climb after the ten year old with visible panic.

"I'm scared!" the child cried out as the little dog shivered and quivered in her arms.

"HERE!" Lennox offered as she extended her hand and practically hauled the child upwards into the storm.

"Wendy! Go!" Claire screamed as the murderous worm seemed to pick up speed.

"You don't need to tell me twice!" the blunette cried out as she started to climb the rusting rungs. Her side ached…her head throbbed and pounded as the stress of another monster made her fear rise to new heights.

The rain poured down onto her as she reached halfway and glanced down. "CLAIRE! COME ON!" Wendy urged as she continued to climb and climb the ladder to the surface.

Claire went. Grabbing the horizontal bars, she could feel the trembling get louder and more volatile as the mutated creature raced toward her with rows of murderously sharp teeth. Her arms and legs seemed to move on her own as the survival instincts in her brain screamed. Reaching the halfway mark as Wendy reached the surface, Claire spared a look down…just as the slithering worm collided with the ladder and the nearby wall.

The lower part broke away with a tearing of metal and screeching of destruction as Redfield found herself dangling above the horror.

"Dammit!" She cursed as her pursuer seemed to stun itself. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the next rung of metal as she planted her biker boots against the cracking wall. Gripping it, the athletic woman pulled herself higher as the monster started to stir below.

"GIMME YOUR HAND!" Elizabeth shouted from above as Cindy did the same, their water drenched faces showing a telltale sign of dread. Reaching up with her cold and chilled fingers, Redfield felt a solid grip of her wrist as the two others pulled her up with a grunt of effort and feminine muscle work.

Hoisting herself over the lip of the sewer hole, Claire scrambled to her feet as the pavement around her started to crack and crumble.

"This way!" Wendy waved from an open gate as she fixed her gun down the side street. Sherry was near her, the girl protecting the Chihuahua who let out a brave little bark at the collapsing path.

"Dammit! Like skinless monsters and zombies weren't bad enough!" Claire shouted as she ran with Cindy and Elizabeth. Reaching the gateway, she spared a simple look backwards as half the brick lined path collapsed downward into the darkness of the abyss below.

A mournful roar emanated from the ground, but the spread of the cave in had halted at the side street littered with abandoned cars and dead bodies in the road.

"This way" Warren urged as she nor the others wanted to stick around and see if it would climb up after them. Stepping over a body as water dripped down her nose, the woman was horribly aware that her white dress would reveal her curves to the world as the rain soaked it through.

"All these zombies have been shot…could be some of the others handiwork" Wendy observed as she switched to her regular pistol. Wincing as her head throbbed again, she was almost grateful for the cool rain…until thunder rumbled above.

"You think so?" Sherry asked from behind her as she jogged and weaved past the dead bodies.

"Yip!"

"Pepper is sure of it" Wendy smiled lightly as the group rounded the corner…and froze near an abandoned truck that had flipped in an accident. The corpse was still inside, but the women ignored it all as they stared with snippets of hope tugging at them all.

The street car was there…intact and undamaged. And it was their ticket to leave this hell as the door slid open to reveal Leon standing there with a warm smile.

"Claire…Wendy…Cindy…you all made it" The man said with a warm tone as Elizabeth could only think one thing.

"_Dreamy man in uniform…"_

"Leon…it's been hell"

"Tell me about it. Come on and get inside and dry off" he invited as the five women moved with purpose toward the waiting door.

Climbing up the short steps, Wendy collapsed into the first seat she could find as the others filtered into the cabin.

"Claire. Do you still have that motor oil?" Leon asked the brunette as she closed the door behind her, sealing off the storm outside.

"Uh…yeah" She replied while swinging the backpack off her shoulders. Unzipping it, she brought out the fuel as Leon grabbed it and started to mix it with another bottle.

"Told you it would be useful" Jill clipped from a nearby seat as she eyed the young girl and busty blonde who took a seat across the aisle.

"So you did…dammit. I need a year long vacation" She complained as the connecting door slid open.

"Wendy! You made it!" Allyssa said with a modicum of happiness as she moved to the girl and sat down next to her. "...you look like shit"

"Thanks. I only feel like it too after Irons shot me. Uh, by the way, that's Elizabeth Warren and Sherry Birkin with Pepper" Wendy explained with a handwave as she leaned back against the headrest.

"He shot you!?" Ashcroft asked loudly as the girl winced.

"Twice. Yeah…but don't worry. He got eaten by the dead…serves him right the insane bastard…" She mumbled as Elizabeth stood up and moved toward the front. Standing behind Leon, she watched him work for a moment before leaning forward. Her large mammaries shifted in her dress, practically spilling out in a display of flesh.

"Hi…I'm Elizabeth Warren, the mayor's daughter"

"Um…hello?" Kennedy answered as he quickly turned away to concentrate on his task.

"_Those things are big and dangerous!"_

"What are you doing, Leon?" Jill asked evenly, her simple glare chilling the room as the male quickly stood up.

"Just mixing fuel. Nothing to worry about" he answered quickly…far too quickly for Jill's taste as Elizabeth took the closest seat to the young cop.

"_He was looking at them…well I'll show him a real woman when we escape this city"_

"What's going on, Pepper?" Sherry asked the little dog who yipped lightly in her clutches. Watching the officer pour the mixed fuel into the open engine, the young girl was nudged by Cindy.

"You and your little friend alright?"

"Yeah…thanks for helping me…I know I can't do much…" the girl said softly and Cindy shook her head with visible relaxation.

"Your survived this long already. And your protecting that little dog. That's something nobody else can do" the waitress smiled warmly as the engine rumbled to life. Smiling up at the older female, Sherry leaned her head against the warm body as she slowly closed her eyes. She was tired…and it showed as Cindy soon did the same.

"Next stop…Clock Tower" Leon joked lightly as he moved the throttle forward. The street car groaned slightly, the tracked wheels giving a protest as the vehicle started on its journey.

Staring out the window from her seat behind Jill, Claire leaned her cheek against the cool glass as they passed by a burning car. A trio of infected started to lunge toward the tram, but they were quickly passed as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Finally…" She whispered to herself as she felt her body lapse into rest…

Their reprieve only lasted fifteen minutes as something landed on the rear car with an echoing '_Thud'_ that shook the entire transport. And it felt…_big…_

Wendy's eyes burst open, her head swiveling around as a familiar roar reached toward her soul and those around her.

"_**SSSHHHHHEEEEERRRRYYYYY!"**_

**And there we go! Another chapter done! I know not many read this story, but to those that do, thank you for your continued support and reviews! And FYI, I will do COG next just because it needs an update. But once I finish this nightmare of survival horror, I can really concentrate on Shifting!**

**Still…that's about all the news I have! So read and review!**

**Elizabeth: Wow…I didn't expect Leon to be so…tasty… *Licks Lips***

**Jill: In your dreams. I'm gonna escape this city with him and give him a night he will never forget!**

**Ada: No way! He's coming with me to a tropical island!**

**Claire: If we're doing this, I'll have to win!**

**Allyssa: Well…I'm the sexiest. So he's mine**

**Wendy: ….your all idiots.**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	11. Split Path

**Well Hello! You greedy readers with your word devouring! I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year! And to answer your question, yes, I will be mostly concentrating on this again…aside from the occasional update on other stories. (Don't worry Tunice, we'll still get our crossover done!)**

**Now, I know this story doesn't get much attention, but I still enjoy it. Resident Evil has been one of my favorite series and RE3 Remake is coming in APRIL! Looks sick!**

**Aside from this little ramblings however…not much to say. I just hope you all enjoy this latest chapter!**

**I still don't own media! Now…**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 11: Split Path**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 3:19 p.m.**

The tram shook, vibrating on the tracks as the threat roared once more from the roof above. The footfalls echoed, bowing in the galvanized roof with sinking weight as the humans in the front of the tram pointed firearms toward the ceiling.

"Shit…what the hell is that!?" Leon barked from the controls as he glanced backward with a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Leon. Whatever you do, keep this car on the tracks. We can't afford a derail in this dead city" Claire ordered with finality as she pointed her revolver toward the ceiling near the door. The metal was in a slight dip…obviously weighted down as she gulped. _"Is it too much to ask for a twenty minute break!?" _

Wiping some of the damp bangs from her eyes, she kept a solid grip as Wendy stood near Allyssa and Jill in the aisle.

Valentine had opted for her pistol, the narrow aisle and seats making the grenade launcher risky. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally hit somebody with a blast of shrapnel. Taking a step forward as Wendy scanned the ceiling, the officer didn't register the falling rain anymore…or the burning truck that rushed past the window with a gathering of dead clamoring toward the blaze.

"Wendy…you should stay back" Ashcroft warned, her slender fingers gripping the Mossberg as she moved toward Sherry and Cindy. Her body dripped fatigue…exhaustion and aches from this hell as fear coursed through her veins.

"No fucking way" the fifteen year old replied, her grip tight around the .357 as her mind became alert. Watching as the ceiling bowed in with a footfall, she ignored the dread as it came closer from above.

"Ahhhh! He…he's back…" Sherry whimpered in fear as she ducked down into the seat well with the chihuahua. Curling up into a ball, she kept the dog close as Cindy aimed upward.

"Stay down Sherry…no matter what" the waitress instructed the girl as the monster stalked closer.

'_**RRRRIPPP! SCREEEECHHHH!'**_

Metal tore like tinfoil above the seat three spaces up from Cindy and Sherry as a three pronged claw stabbed down in the middle of the aisle. Rain poured inside, bringing the storm to the survivors as the razor sharp tips sliced the air. A heavily muscular arm of veiny flesh and mutated muscle flexed, trying to find the girl as the tram bucked on the tracks once more.

"_RRRRRAAAAGGGH!"_

"SHIT!" Jill cried out as she rolled away, the protrusions of bone whiffing past her shoulder with centimeters to spare. Coming into a crouch, she aimed upward and fired. The casing flew, tinkling against the floor as the bullet struck the forearm…and barely registered a notice by the monster above.

"KILL IT!" The reporter cried out as she squeezed the trigger of her shotgun. A cone of steel balls tore through the air in a brief moment, peppering the hole with damage as some dug into the genetically altered flesh. Pumping a fresh shell as her muscles cried, she staggered lightly as the tram went into a light turn.

"Watch where your going!" Wendy shouted toward the man as she re-aimed with her magnum. Bracing her stance as she regained stability, the girl snarled as the claw retracted back into the hole.

"Well I'm sorry this city is a monster filled hellhole!" Leon barked back as he pushed the throttle a little further.

'_**RRRRIIIIPPPP!'**_

Birkin's hand tore another hole in the thin ceiling, the claws reflecting light like nightmarish daggers behind the rookie officer and near Elizabeth. The woman screamed, pressing her back against the glass as the dead outside tried to catch the moving vehicle…but failed in their slow stagger.

"Leon! Duck!" Claire cried as she fired, giving the man almost zero time as he threw himself flat with an expulsion of air. Burning lead smashed into the front windshield, a miss by Cindy as Claire hit one of the claws. Jill and Allyssa joined in, both survivors firing twice as shotgun and pistol rounds tore the air. The pink and mutated arm of diseased flesh took damage, eliciting an annoyed grunt of fury as the former father pulled it back into the storm of rain.

"Damn!" Wendy uttered in anger as she lost her shot. It had only been there for a few seconds before the others ruined the attack with gunfire.

"Ahhhh! How did he find me!" The girl cried as she tried to stay small. Her fear was almost palpable, filling the tram car as Wendy ran toward the younger child. Crouching down on one knee as Birkin roared again, the blunette's eyes widened as the scientist stabbed another hole downward with a ruination of metal.

Spearing the air merely three feet away, the deadly appendages tried to find its target as Jill and Claire backed away, their weapons aiming toward the source. Gunfire flashed, another salvo from the females as Leon climbed back to the controls, his face grim.

"I'm really low on bullets here!" Claire yelled from the other side of the cabin as her ammunition fell to six rounds. She knew that Cindy had plenty, but with this damn monster claw slicing the air nearby, she might as well cut herself.

"Save them!" Jill instructed with a shout as she fired into the arm of gristle twice more. The slugs tore away small bits of flesh, but it wasn't enough as Allyssa pumped another shotgun shell. The empty casing flew, landing among a seat as she tried to get a shot that wouldn't kill anybody.

"Bastard!" Marvell uttered as she raised her heavy firearm…and pulled the trigger at the hand. It bucked like always, shaking her wrists and arms from the force as she barely managed to maintain her crouched stance.

The slug tore through the left finger claw at the base, severing it from the rest of the hand as the stench of cordite and rain mixed with fear. Letting out another bellow of painful rage and fury, the monster retracted the hand as it moved around the roof, biding its time.

"Shit! We barely beat that thing last time!" Claire cried out as she kept an eye on the roof, her irises wide as the tram car vibrated and shook with each step.

"Sherry! Why is he after you? How did he know where you are!?" Wendy asked loudly, her voice cracking as her hand still shook from the blowback.

"I…I don't know! He's just been chasing me!" The girl cried as the genetic horror circled above while licking its wounds.

Feeling a sluice of water drip down her back from the nearby hole, Wendy glanced toward the cracked windscreen near Leon. The rain was relentless…hiding the terror the streets had become downtown as dozens of undead infected seemed to stand still as they rushed by. It was only by sheer luck that nothing big had blocked the tracks as the tram rumbled through the necropolis toward the distant clocktower.

"_No way in hell will we make it with that monster tearing this trolley apart!"_

"Sherry…did your mom or dad give you anything? Something important?" Cindy asked the girl who kept clutching the little dog.

"No…there's nothing…" the child whimpered as the heavy footfalls drew closer.

"Damn…" the teenager uttered with disappointment. Glancing toward the ceiling once more…then the adjoining door, an idea started to form. Looking back at the scared child, Wendy felt pity for the girl as thunder boomed above.

Wendy stood up, her mind set as she pushed back the fear. If this failed…she would probably die.

"Jill. I'm gonna try and distract it. You blast it with your grenades if it shows, alright?"

"No…no way! You're just a kid!" Leon shouted from the front as he eased on the throttle. A car was near the tracks…and it scrapped against the side like a shrieking banshee as sparks flew. The tram bucked, almost dislodging from the rails as is pushed against the wreck…and moved on past a dozen undead feeding on the remains of a poor soul as rain poured onto them.

"I stopped being a kid a long time ago. Just do your fucking job and protect all these civilians!"

"You need back-up Wendy…come on" Ashcroft tried to reason as the recorder caught everything.

"And you need to make sure this story is told…I'm just one life among all yours…you all need to survive. I'm just… nobody here"

"Wendy! This is ma-!" Jill tried to say…then the tram bucked again. Most were thrown to the floor, losing their footing as the trolley car almost came off the tracks in the street.

"_SHHHHHERRRRRYYYYY!"_

"He's gonna attack again! And you can bet your ass he won't stop!" Wendy cried out as she climbed to her feet and moved toward the connecting door. Hitting the button, the storm outside became louder in the connecting space as the vehicle turned down another wreck strewn street.

"The clock tower!" Elizabeth shouted with a pointed finger, her eyes locked onto the distant tower in the rain. It was still several blocks…but it was in sight for the first time.

"Make sure you blast that bastard…" Wendy told Jill, then shut the door.

"Dammit! Stubborn little bitch!" Valentine cursed as she pulled the M79 from her back holster…and waited…

"This is really fucking stupid, Wendy…" the blue haired female told herself as she climbed the small emergency ladder toward the awning above. Catching the worried stares from Rita, Elliot and Marvin, she scoffed as Ada sat there with the three officers. _"Of course she's here…"_

A small maintenance hatch was set in the aluminum roof, which was quickly opened as she reached the top. A blast of rain poured down onto her head, re-soaking her hair as she poked her head out and looked toward the monster on the first car. The rain burned against her features, stinging like needles as she squinted her eyes.

The body was slick with moisture…or maybe it was the exposed muscles as the tatters of the lab coat fluttered by speed of motion. The deformed arm still sported that hideous eye, a blood shot monstrosity as Birkin snarled. It was rearing its clawed arm back, reading to stab downward…and maybe kill somebody important.

"Dammit…I think he's bigger than last time…" Wendy cursed as she pulled her magnum to aim. Centering on the rancid eye as a bolt of lighting shattered the sky, she pulled the trigger as she gripped it tight.

The revolver bucked, reverberating down her right forearm as the heavy slug tore through the rain…and burrowed into the exposed eye.

"_RRRRAAAAUUGHHHH!"_

Birkin turned, the mouth a grotesque grin of deformed teeth as the monstrosity centered on the new threat. Stepping forward, it bowed more of the roof from his weight.

"Well…you wanted his attention!" Wendy cried out as the eye closed…and he lunged with a horrid swipe toward her head.

"FUCK!" she screamed in fear at the speed, her adrenaline spiking once more as the claws hissed through the air and rain.

She let go on reflex, dropping toward the steel plate between cars with a gasping thud. Groaning as she looked up, her eyes felt fear as the monster stared down at her…then ripped the ceiling open like a can of sardines.

"Oh shit…" Wendy said in a scramble as she ignored the pain from the landing…and pushed open the door to the back car. Hitting the button to close it, the door hissed shut with agonizing slowness as the creature jumped down.

'_**THUD!'**_

It landed behind her, a horrifying mountain of muscle and death as it slowly tracked her running toward Elliot and the others through the plexiglass plate.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING!?" Edwards shouted as he stood up, firearm drawn as the other adults tried to aim.

"A FUCKING MONSTER AFTER SHERRY! TRY TO HIT IT'S STUPID EYE!" Wendy cried with a voice of crackling dread as she stopped near Ada and regripped her magnum. After all…it was the only thing effective against this unwanted passenger that she possessed.

'_**SCCCCRRRRIIIISSSHHHKKK!"**_

It clawed through the door like a terror, the metal door basically paper to the claws. Unknowing of Jill in the other car readying her launcher, it tried to squeeze through the passageway.

"JILL! SHOOT IT!" Allyssa cried as she hit the door release…and ducked to the side as Valentine braced her footing in the center aisle with rain pouring down from above.

"WENDY! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME! DUCK!" the brunette warned as she squeezed the trigger. It bucked in her hands, staggering her frame as the tram rocked once more from the monster beating against the other doorway in murderous fury. For the moment…it had forgotten about the little girl.

'_**WHooosh!'**_

The grenade snapped along the aisle, a lazy arc of expelled gas before impacting the gnarled back of Birkin. Fire and shrapnel bit into the exposed muscle and sinew, shredding and ruining flesh as spatters of gore flew.

Ejecting the spent shell as it clattered to the floor, Jill hastily tried to reload as the monster tried to turn in the narrow space.

"_RRRRRRAAAAAAGHHHHHH!"_ Birkin bellowed, his massive form still butting against the doorway which inhibited his progress to murder all within…

"Wendy…will this work?" Rita asked as she held up the lone grenade, the pineapple dull with green tones as Marvin fired a short burst into its torso along the gnarled and twisted shoulder near the eye…which had closed in precaution. Birkin smashed the large arms against its failing prison, wracking the trolley once more as the frame groaned in protest.

"Damn!" The wounded policeman cursed as whatever damage he inflicted seemed to be ignored.

"Yeah! Throw that thing!" Wendy urged, knowing that it was probably their only shot to rid themselves of Birkin. Ducking behind an upholstered seat, the fifteen year old tried to shout over the howling madness of their enemy.

"GRENDADE!"

Rita pulled the pin, then threw it toward the trembling creature as it bucked the tram once more. Metal was tearing…its rage almost palpable among the survivors as they silently prayed.

The tiny pineapple jounced…and landed right at its feet as Ada and the others took cover.

"Oh…fuck" Claire uttered as she heard the shout from Wendy in the other car. Grabbing Jill, she tackled the woman into a seat across the aisle.

'_**BBBOOOOM!'**_

The noise was like a sonic blast inside the tram, blowing out windows with concussive force as heat and flying bits of metal flew wherever it could. While most of the explosive blast was taken by Birkin from point blank range, some of it escaped and shred the air. Casing and twisted shards embedded in seats, hissing through the air as the group of survivors tried to escape the cone of flying metal.

"_THIS HAD TO BE RITA!" _Allyssa thought as she used a cushioned seat to protect her body. Good thing each one had a metal plate on the back for support…considering several bits of shrapnel had dug into the backside. However…this was barely the first second before the coupling between the cars gave an unforgiving screech of ruined metal.

The explosive had caused far more damage underneath, ripping through the civilian construction as the mechanism keeping the cars connected tore. This was only made worse as the back tram car came off the tracks. A squeal of sparks and shrieking metal graced the likes of Marvin and Ada…and only got worse as it stared to slide across the pavement toward a tipped over garbage truck near the rail line.

It was too much for the couplings and rivets as springs popped, freeing both cars from one another. Birkin was flung into a gasoline fire near a grouping of charred corpses, his body rolling and skipping across the soaked pavement before landing near the skeleton of the tanker truck.

The back car continued to skid and slide, running over a few unfortunate infected as their rotten bodies were crushed in moments in the Y-intersection of the downtown area near the zoo.

"EVERYBODY! HOLD ON!" Marvin cried out as he grasped a brass handhold. He could see the approaching garbage truck…and their speed toward the left would make them…

'**CRASH!'**

The tram car ricocheted away toward the left avenue, spinning as the mangled joining sparked and screamed along the pavement. Sliding against an abandoned four door car, the left side was a howl of tearing metal as they continued on an uncontrolled ride. The tram dragged across the pavement from the close call, slowly drifting into a right angle across the road…before tipping.

"AAAAH!" Ada cried out, her head mere inches from a window as burning shards of metal continued to fly. Some hit her shoulder, sparking against the exposed skin as she grasped for any sort of handhold. She had landed on the supporting space between windows…and didn't even notice Wendy near her head by the roof…or floor now as they started to slow with a groan of dying metal and steel.

The next impact was jarring, throwing them forward as they stopped suddenly.

Coughing heavily as he groaned, Elliot tried to help himself up as the hellish ride ended. Coughing again, he brushed some shards of something from his dirty uniform before crawling to his feet.

"Is…Is everybody…alright?" he asked with a groan.

"Yeah…Marvin and I are okay" Rita gasped out as she helped the lieutenant to his feet.

"Wendy? Ada?" Marvin asked as he picked up his Mp5 wrapping the strap around his shoulder, the officer looked at the women in concern.

"Ugh…yeah…I thought I'd be dead now…so thumbs up?" Wendy said as she staggered upward. Checking her magnum, she holstered it for now as Ada brushed herself off.

"Still in one piece"

"Good. But damn me to hell if that didn't go bad—" Elliot started to say…but heard groans…lots of them. And they were getting closer. And the humans knew…they had just rung the dinner bell to who knows how many of the undead.

"UP!" Marvin ordered as he started to climb upward to the hollowed windows. His side throbbed like a jumble of fire…a constant reminder as he grasped the lip of steel and pulled himself higher. Climbing onto the tipped side of the ruined tramcar, he took a brief glance at the bus they had came to rest against. It was blocking the whole street to his south, crammed against buildings to either side as a few broken bricks lay on the nearby roof. Turning his brown eyes, his breath hitched in his throat as dozens upon dozens of infected staggered toward the trolley car with one purpose…to eat them. They moaned and gasped, their infected groans betraying their tormented souls as wounds and horrendous bites covered ravaged bodies. Bumping into abandoned cars along destroyed businesses and shops, they came on like a wave in the downpour.

"Wendy! Give me your hand!" Marvin urged as he dropped down and gave his reach. Credit had to be given to the girl…she didn't waste a moment as she jumped. Grasping the policeman's hand, she helped climb up before splaying herself along the side paneling slick with water. Elliot and Ada were climbing with haste, not wanting to be caught in the tram car as the first of the dead started to beat against the undercarriage with broken fingers and ragged stumps.

"RITA!" Wendy gasped out as her eyes locked onto the shorter, blonde woman. She jumped, reaching Marvin's…just as the first infected man loomed int the ruined doorway that once joined the trolley. Cutting himself open upon the jagged metal, the stomach spilled intestine as the skin ripped like paper…and still it came on as more dead followed in his wake.

"OH GOD!" The officer cried as she felt herself being hoisted. Scrambling for support, she felt more hands grip her and pull her to the wall-roof just as the disemboweled man reached where she had just been. Looking down with gasping fear as her chest rose, all she could do was look down at the former man as he gazed with dead eyes. Extending two arms upward, the zombie's fingers were still grasping for the survivors as a dozen more gathered below in the ruined tram. Rainwater sluiced down onto them, soaking their tarnished clothes as Rita and the others moved away from the gaping holes that were the windows.

"Too close…" she whispered as she stood up…and carefully walked onto the roof of the bus nearby with the others. Rasping snarls reached her ears, haunting her soul as Elliot rested a hand on her shoulder as her adrenaline raced next to her heart.

"Well…maybe next time you shouldn't set off a grenade in a trolley car?

"It's not like I had much choice. That monster…" Rita whispered back as she tried to peer through the rain.

"That was Birkin. Second time I've seen that ray of fucking sunshine…Where the hell are we, anyway?" Wendy asked as she wiped some water from her bangs. Gripping her pistol, her eyes tried to pierce the rain as she studied the relatively deserted roadway past the bus. There were a few undead scattered about along the road lined with shops, but they would be easily handled or avoided.

"Well…if you look up Wendy, I'm sure you can figure it out" Ada pointed with her normal aloofness toward the sign…advertising the Raccoon City zoo just a couple blocks away. Painted along several buildings, it depicted lions, elephants and other animals while advertising the city wide attraction.

A distant elephant blast rumbled through the air, making the group even more on edge.

"Great…we crashed near the zoo. Who knows what this infection has done there?" Edward's griped as he walked toward the roof access hatch of the bus.

"What's done is done, Elliot. At least we're alive" Marvin simply stated as the storm seemed to lighten from the heavens. Looking back, he saw more undead converging at the wreck. _"Lucky this bus was here…a perfect roadblock against the dead. I just hope the others are alright…and that we can find a way to reunite with the others…"_ he silently hoped as Edwards yanked the hatch open to inspect the city transport for any undead threats…

* * *

"HOLD ON!" Leon shouted in a fearful panic as he tried to regain control of the tram car. Screeching steel on pavement sent a shower of sparks past the window like a howl as they left the tracks. Getting thrown to the left as the trolley ground against the brickwork of a building, the officer grunted as he tried to reach the controls.

"LEON! DO SOMETHING!" Claire cried out as she and Cindy held onto Sherry and held her tight.

"Grr…I'm trying!" the man shouted back as he stumbled and jumped toward the panel. The trolley skipped along a truck, sending a furious scream of fresh embers as more metal tore. Two zombies were run over like pancakes, their bodies simply ground underneath tons of steel as the tram car continued down the road toward the brick wall of the clock tower.

Allyssa looked over the ruined seat flayed with shrapnel, her blue eyes squinting as a few licks of flame danced around the entranceway that had been were that abomination had been. Looking past as the runaway vehicle continued on its path of destruction, the reporter knew that the others…were gone. She didn't know if they crashed…or were killed from that blast, but that back half was missing. Just a mangled twist of ruined metal and warped paneling.

"_Dammit Wendy…You stubb…"_

"Got it!" Leon gasped out as he clutched the brake handle…and yanked it down as hard as he could. The trackless wheels locked, screaming a death of burning shards as they tried to grip non-existent rails…but it was too late. The wall surrounding the Clock Tower and its property was approaching fast…and they would not slow in time.

"BRACE YOURSELVES!" Jill screamed as the lone male turned toward the terrified Elizabeth with instinct. Jumping, he practically pinned her to the floor as the front end of the tram car collided with the stone work of the property wall.

'_**CRRRASHHH!'**_

Glass and shards of broken brickwork flew through the windshield as it shattered, covering the back of Leon as the others were jarred and shaken from the collision. The front end was a mangle of bent metal, the controls a mess of sparking wires as several broken bricks rested on the dash.

"Is…are we okay?" Sherry asked softly into Claire's bosom as the college student slowly stood up. Brushing some dust and other debris from her dirty hair, the woman nodded.

"Yeah…Is everybody alright?"

"Still in one piece…" Ashcroft mumbled, her sore muscles flaring as she stood up. Wiping a hand through her wet hair, she looked toward the back of the trolley car.

"Well…at least we don't have to worry about zombies getting through that mess" Jill said shakily toward the twisted doorway. A haphazard of broken metal and a half caved in roof had completely sealed it from unwanted guests as the S.T.A.R.S operative looked back toward Leon and Elizabeth…and found them still on the floor.

"Oh…thanks for…protecting me…" The blonde woman whispered as she stared at the officers chiseled chin and blue eyes.

"Um…no problem…"

"Cindy? Are they going to kiss? Cause that's what happens on t.v." Sherry pointed out as she held the chihuahua close.

Coughing heavily as he stood up, Leon extended a hand to the woman as he averted his gaze from Jill…who was staring very intently for some reason. Pulling her up, he turned away from the senior officer before peering out the large window before him.

"So..uh, it looks like a small courtyard out there…I should go check it out" Grasping his pistol, the rookie officer moved toward the tram door that had become lodged open. Luckily, it was on the interior side of the stone wall as he stepped down the steps into the rain. Peering his eyes, he saw no movement…just a lone door set into the far wall of the building. Another wall of old stone and brick ran along his left, the surface covered with vines. It was lower, giving him glimpses of taller tombstones in the ancient cemetery of the historic landmark. Looking upward, he could see the clocktower looming among the storm as the hand's moved closer to four o'clock. The cawing of crows above made him grip the weapon in his hands tighter, but the birds either weren't infected or cared as they roosted on the gothic roof.

"_Looks like it's safe for now…"_

"Seriously…it's almost a good thing zombies are here. If he had shown up before all this, every woman in the precinct would be ogling him" Jill muttered as said male poked his head through the door.

"It's clear. I see a door across the way"

"Alright handsome. Lead the way" Allyssa said simply as she gripped her shotgun. Following Jill and the others, she found herself in the rain once more as her shoes pressed against the soggy grass. Watching as Leon and Jill braced either side of the door, she kept silent as the man turned the knob and pushed inward.

A single electric lamp hummed on a bedside table, casting the room in an eerie glow as splotches of dried blood covered the mattress nearby. A zombified old man turned toward Jill and Leon, his frame on the other side of an old bed as another corpse rose slowly from the floor near a second door. The jaw was missing, torn away as raw bits of sinew hung from the elder woman. She was closer, already stumbling toward Leon with a heavy limp as her body grasped the dusty room. A hungry moan escaped the man's lips, the teeth yellow among the decay as Kennedy raised his firearm.

'_**Bang! Bang!'**_

The projectiles flashed in the room, the first burying in the elder woman's neck as gristle flew. But the second was true, burrowing through the necrotic bridge before bursting out the back skull in a horrid spray.

Jill fired across the ruined bedsheets at the older male. His head snapped back from the metal slug in his brain…before falling backward into a small recliner in the corner. Lowering her weapon, she took another glance around the small bedroom.

"Leon. We should be careful. No telling what could be here if there's already zombies"

"Hey, I'm always careful"

Moving to the tan door across the room, the two officers took up either side as Claire and the others walked in from the back.

"Poor souls…" the sister of Chris whispered at the dead as she stood near Sherry. The young child hugged Pepper tighter, her eyes not looking away as Elizabeth moved toward Leon and Jill.

"The next room should be the groundskeeper's living room…then the library I think? After that…the main hall should be on our left" the large chested blonde informed the two as Leon looked at her oddly. She had drawn her pistol, the scared woman from before hardening her resolve to help and survive. Water dripped from her hair…flowing between the large mounds of flesh of her dress that had seen far better days.

"How do you know that?"

"My father was the mayor. I was always dragged to public works and landmark dedications"

"And here I thought you just enjoyed pressing your tits against Leon" Jill joked lightly as Warren gave a smirk.

"No…that was just a fortunate accident"

"Okay…yeah…I'm moving on now" Leon informed them as he turned the knob and pushed into the next room. _"What is with these women? Stress…it obviously has to be stress and savior worship or something…" _ He concluded as the door gave a low creak from opening. Little did he know but those two had watched him move…and had less than noble thoughts run through their heads.

The room was empty. A couch was against the right wall while an old television sat on a stand to the left. There was nothing of use…just another door across from him that was partially opened. Light poured through the cracks, casting sinister shadows as he moved onward.

'_**Pad…pad pad pad…'**_

The sound came from the other side of the door, making Leon and the others freeze in step. Gripping his pistol tighter, he raised it to eye level while moving cautiously. Dread filled his senses…just…the instinct that something dangerous was ahead.

A hungry rasp echoed from beyond, the familiar sounds of an infected human bringing a sense of normalcy as the man paused at the door. Jill and Elizabeth had joined him, the two women on the right side out of sight.

Valentine gave him a slow nod, showing she was ready.

Pushing the door open with a creak as old hinges squealed, the rookie aimed down the narrow hallway lined with bookshelves…and stared in disbelief.

A spider. A spider the size of a dresser and covered in brownish black stripes had pinned down a zombie, the former woman struggling to bite the aggressor. Sickly hairs covered its body as the mandibles dug into the woman's torso, tearing at the dead flesh. Then…the multiple eyes of black coals seemed to look up…and finally see the man standing there like a deer in the headlights.

"That…that is one big ass spider!" Leon suddenly shouted as he fired at the eyes. His pistol barked three times, illuminating the bookshelves as two of the rounds tore into the bulbous thorax. The third hit one of the legs, spreading fine hairs across the struggling corpse.

It surged forward, the multitude of legs scurrying across the wooden floor as red gore dripped from the mandibles. It was safe to say it was hostile.

"MOVE!" Jill shouted as she pushed past the man with her grenade launcher. She fired without hesitation as the exploding shell left the tube. The explosive hit the spider directly in the face, destroying the eyes in a spray of burning shards of metal and fire. Three legs were blown off as well, flying across the room in a disgusting spray of greenish blood. The infected monstrosity flipped on its back from the force of the impact, the mouth a ruin of spider screams as it wailed in death throes.

Slowing in its final moments, copious amounts of green gore poured from the creature before finally stopping.

"Pistol rounds are pretty much useless against these things. You need something bigger" Jill informed them all as she ejected the spent shell and loaded a fresh one. Eyeing Kennedy as he stalked near the downed zombie, the male was cautious before using his crowbar to finish it off.

Pulling it free with a yank, he looked back at Jill.

"Lemme guess…The Spencer Mansion?"

"Yup"

An understanding nod from him was all he had to say before he moved into the wider part of the library…and relaxed as nothing tried to eat him.

"Ugh…Spiders are so gross…" Warren complained with a disgusting look as she stepped around the monster, her feet not even gracing the growing puddle.

"I never minded them. I always believed everything has a right to live" Cindy smiled warmly as the mayor's daughter shook her head.

"No way…those beady eyes and hairy legs…yuck!" she shivered, finally reaching the reading area as Allyssa scoffed.

"There's dead people walking around and your scared of arachnids?"

"Hey! That one is big! I have a right to be scared of giant spiders!"

"…I'll give you that one" the reporter conceded. After all…spiders don't grow to be several feet large.

"You said the main hall is through here?" Jill asked Elizabeth, distracting her from Allyssa. Giving a curt nod, she backed away from the last door as the two officers quickly opened it.

Bright lights illuminated the old hall of marble and antique artwork as Leon and Jill searched for any monsters or undead threats. Lowering their weapons after a moment, they found it deserted as their shoes clicked and echoed across the polished floor.

"Pretty fancy for a simple clocktower…." Leon admitted, his eyes studying the large chandelier above as it seemed to sparkle with light.

"Well…it does have a small chapel and piano room. Plus, it was refurbished before becoming a historical site" Warren explained as she stood near the staircase leading to the second floor. Several busts of statues lined the back wall across the hall, but nothing was really jumping out to endanger them all.

"That should be our destination. The chapel would be a good place for us to rest. I don't know about you all…but I'm exhausted and hungry" Claire suggested as she adjusted the straps of her backpack.

"I haven't heard a better plan. Plus, the helicopter comes at noon tomorrow right? This place should be perfect to hole up in until then"

"But Allyssa? What about the others? We can't just leave them out there…" Cindy said softly, her gaze setting on the double doors to her left as more thunder rumbled outside.

"Not much choice in that, Cindy. We have no idea where they are or if they're even alive. All we would be doing is endangering ourselves. But on the other hand, they all know where to go. If we wait, I'm sure they'll show up before the helicopter arrives" Valentine finished with certainty.

"Alright. If that's the plan, then we should secure the chapel first and the surrounding rooms. I don't want to get surprised by more spiders"

"Still gross" Warren told Leon as he shrugged and moved across the hall toward the wooden door on the other side. Water dripped down, making his shoes squeak against the polished surfaces as he and Jill took up station once more.

"Allyssa. You and the others stay in this hall for now. If we're not back in ten minutes…something happened"

"Sure thing" The reporter shrugged as she moved toward the carpeted staircase…and sat down with weary exhaustion. Splaying the shotgun across her lap, the woman ran a hand through her hair as Jill and Leon moved into the next room.

"Will they be alright?" Cindy asked with a waver in her voice.

"I'm sure Leon will be fine…and I guess Jill" Elizabeth told the others as she started to walk around and admire the artwork on display. _"That damn sexy cop…protecting me during the crash…"_ she still remembered how…firm his chest had felt against hers. Of course, it could've been the uniform he was wearing… Shaking her head as the other women began to talk among themselves, the blonde continued to explore the hall.

The door behind Leon and Jill closed with a soft click as they cast their eyes among the carnage that had once been a fine dining room. Tables were overturned and chairs smashed to ragged splinters while spatters of dried blood arced across the wall to the left.

A brown door sat there in a small alcove, a bloody handprint leaving a trail toward the brass knob while spilled cutlery and broken dinner plates rested nearby. The owner of the blood had died against the door, an overweight man in a tattered tuxedo. Ragged bites ran up his legs, ruining the fabric as Leon drew his attention to the kitchen at the back…and slowly inched his foot forward. A single doorway was on the right, leading to the darkened interior as a lone body of a woman sat at the bar among broken bottles and spilt glass.

'_**slurp…slurp…greshh…slurp'**_

Jill knew that sound. The sound of flesh being torn…fed upon as she and Leon inched toward the first overturned table. It made her skin crawl…knowing that somebody had met a horrid fate in that kitchen as more hungry snarls washed over her senses.

'_Graaa…'_

The body near the door shifted, the head lolling upward on rigid muscles as infected eyes stared at Jill five feet away. It started to rise, the intent clear.

"Shit!" she hissed while pivoting at the close threat. It moved fast with desire, raising arms to grab her as she fired on instinct. But it was too close as the bullet tore through its chest with hardly a flinch from the zombie. Cold hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling her close as rotten breath hit her nose and eyes.

"NO!" She shouted, pushing her left hand underneath it's chin as she tried to keep the snapping teeth away from her exposed neck. They clacked, centimeters away from her nose as she struggled against the superior weight and strength.

'_**BANG!'**_

A bullet tore past her ear, slamming into the monster's eye as it popped with viscous fluid. Tearing through the brain, the zombie stopped struggling as it fell backward to the floor. Jill snapped her head around, eyeing Leon as his pistol wafted tendrils of smoke.

"Leon…th…" she tried to say as her hands gave a slight shake.

'_**Clatter!'**_

Pots and pans fell in the tiny kitchen, echoing across counters and linoleum as several grunts and moans grew louder. A zombie rose past the bar…then another…and another as the dead woman also started to shift and rise from her seat. Shadows shifted in the kitchen…heads bobbing in a drunken sway as the kitchen staff rose and started to move.

"You can thank me later!" Leon shouted as he aimed at the doorway. The first cook emerged, a river of dried blood across his apron as claw marks marred the bald head of his skull. An eye was missing, leaving the lone orb ripe with disease to stare at the two humans. The rookie cop fired twice, dropping the corpse with accuracy as the next cook started to limp into view from the darkness.

Jill fired at the bar woman, but her aim was off as she tried to clamp down on the close call she just endured. Decaying blood flew from the sternum, but it merely staggered the zombie as Leon fired again.

"_Get a grip Jill…Calm and steady. Panicking only gets you killed"_

Taking a deep breath of the air ripe with death, she exhaled as her sights centered on the brunette's head.

Her pistol roared fire, the flash lighting up her eyes as the bullet hit the forehead dead center. The body dropped against a chair, but didn't elicit a second thought from Valentine as she aimed toward the doorway.

'_**Bang! Bang! Bang!'**_

Kennedy's weapon barked three times at the third corpse to emerge, the former female a nightmare of torn skin and strips of flesh as her diseased breast hung out. But she had stumbled over the fallen bodies as the first two rounds proved ineffective. The third tore out the remains of her throat, but didn't end her as her feet tried to shuffle past the dead.

"You can save my life with one shot, but not drop this walking corpse?' Jill asked in surprise. Firing, she ended the woman with a headshot as the final zombie staggered and stumbled past the doorway with the desire to feed on fresh flesh.

"That one shifted weird. That's all" Leon told her as he fired once more…and nailed the final zombie through the bridge of the nose. It let out a low sigh…falling among the pile of bodies as the final casing clattered in the raw silence.

Sporting a small amount of smugness, Leon lowered his weapon as Jill moved toward the kitchen. Keeping a wary eye on the dead, she used her flashlight to illuminate the gloom.

Gore reflected back from the counters and appliances…but the majority was on the floor as pieces of…partially eaten flesh told the horror that had transpired. Spilled food and other items were covered in filth and maggots, the creature's fat from feeding. Fortunately, there were no other bodies to rise as she leaned back.

"This room is clear, but you probably don't want the special" Jill lightly joked as she moved toward Leon. The man was checking his remaining ammunition, his hands using familiarity with his firearm before sliding the magazine back into place.

"Heh…I better call the health inspector then" he jibbed back as the female grinned at the light joke. Approaching the last door, Jill went back to professional as Leon covered her back.

Taking a breath as fear of the unknown climbed, she turned the knob and pushed through to the piano room. Boots echoed across the fine wood, the noise sounding like sonic booms in the silence as Leon joined her.

It was deserted…but a mess of destruction as the piano had been pushed and dragged toward the exterior wall. It had been a line of floor to ceiling windows…but judging by the broken amounts of glass, it was safe to assume how the dead had gotten in.

Still, it looked like someone had managed to create a barricade as tables and chairs…pretty much anything not nailed down were piled against the gaping windows. While it wasn't perfect, it was better than nothing as sprays of blood and ruined silverware rested near the shards of glass.

Rain drummed down from outside, drawing more of their attention as they peered into the storm falling on the patio. No movement could be seen among the storm as it continued. A flash of lightning scratched the sky, illuminating the patio…and how empty it was among the small lawn.

"Looks like its…securish?" Leon questioned Jill with a shrug as he was reminded of how tired and soaked he was.

"Better than a wall of dead trying to get in. Now come on, let's check the chap—"

'Hack! Cough…Cough!'

The noise came from around a table near the far corner of the room…right near the door to the patio as Leon and Jill moved with purpose and caution. Slowing near the source as an expensive couch barricaded the door, Leon paused at the small gap between the piece of furniture and the wall. Eyes studied a bloody handprint…the crimson dragging down as Jill covered him.

"Identify yourself!" Leon barked, his training still fresh as he started to move around the couch. Finishing the swing, he found himself looking down at another U.B.C.S soldier…who aimed an M-16 at him from across his lap.

A ragged series of bites had been torn from his left forearm while speckles of blood covered his wool cap and pallid cheeks. Another wound graced his thigh…but it looked more like a gunshot than a bite as the man lowered the rifle.

"Shit…cops? I…I thought you…you were all…wiped out" He gasped as his chest rose and fell.

"I missed most of it...first day and all. But there are a few survivors with us in the main hall" Leon informed the man as he crouched down. Extending a hand, he studied the numerous bites as the man gave a chuckle laced with pain and exhaustion.

"Man…that really…fucking sucks…" he gasped as Jill stood behind Leon, her face down with pity.

"Is there…anything we can do for you…?" she asked softly. She kept her gun ready…she knew that this man had maybe a few minutes before he turned and came back.

"It's Murphy beautiful… and y…yeah…Don't…don't let me…turn…and…if you see Nicholai…kill that bastard for me" the solider asked as he let out a sharp cry. Blood continued to leak along the floor before he grabbed Leon's pistol and raised to his temple.

"Do it! I…Want to die human!" Murphy cried out, his voice cracking.

Leon nodded as he stood, his face a twist of pain. _"I'm a police officer…not an executioner! Dammit! There's…"_ He felt a feminine hand grip his shoulder, Jill speaking softly as she studied his downcast face.

"Leon…if you wait, he comes back and might kill one of us. This…is the only choice" the senior officer warned as the male nodded.

Raising his pistol, he aimed down the barrel at the soldier's head.

"Thanks officer…and you can have my…my…rifle after…only a…one mag…left though…" he whispered, the head lowering as his life began to leave him.

"I'm sorry…Murphy"

'_**BANG!'**_

The man's head snapped to the side, a fresh hole in the temple as Leon lowered the firearm. Uttering a heavy sigh, he crouched down and retrieved the military rifle. Checking the weapon, he found the one magazine full of ammunition. Patting down the body, Leon felt sick for searching the body of a man he had just killed.

"Sorry Leon…but it was the right choice for him"

"I know…just…if we had gotten here sooner…maybe…"

"And you could be dead too…or Sherry could've been found by her father. We don't know what might've happened…just have to deal with it the best we can"

Nodding, he stood up with the new rifle after his search yielded no results. "Let's secure the chapel and get the others. This place may be our sanctuary right now…but it reeks"

Walking toward the last door, the rookie couldn't help but try to concentrate…and not think of the life he had just taken. Pushing it open as Jill stood in the doorway, the two felt…at ease from the horrors tearing them apart.

The chapel was clean and tidy while lights glowed along the walls. A warmth permeated the room as the two moved among the pews, their bodies at ease. Toward their right was another short hallway, a sign pointing toward some bathrooms as the two approached the alter.

"It's…cozy. A great place to rest up…and a small find" Jill tried to smile as she approached the small organ piano to the left of the podium. Two boxes of ammunition sat on the bench. Picking one up, Jill opened the small container of .38 rounds…and counted twelve. Setting it down, she counted the 9mm next.

"Almost thirty…we should split these up among the others" Jill informed Leon as he moved toward the bathrooms. Following the man, she watched him enter the women's room first.

Emerging half a minute later, he shook his head.

"Clear so far…"

Taking light steps along the wooden floor, he moved toward the men's room with caution…and a bit of fear.

"Could be a zombie priest just waiting for me…" the rookie muttered as he turned the knob and walked into the men's room.

The lights were still on…although one flickered above the sink. The scent of stale urine and cleaning chemicals were strong, but no tint of rot or dried blood reached out to him.

Crouching down, he looked under the stalls for any wavering feet…but found none. Deciding to be safe, he opened the stall doors as the hinges moved seamlessly on oiled material. Familiar footsteps bounced off the walls as he turned, his face a mixture of relief as Jill walked up.

"Let's go get the ot-!"

Jill grabbed him by the shoulders, practically pulling his face toward hers as she pressed soft lips to his. Struggling for a brief moment, the man found his soul being rejuvenated by the kiss. Pulling away after ten full seconds of locking lips, Jill stared into his eyes.

"That's for saving my life a few minutes ago"

"I…um….thanks?" he replied while scratching his neck. Leon was looking away, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes as Jill shook her head with a surge of happiness. Grabbing him again. She kissed him once more as their bodies pressed close.

He could feel her breasts pressing against his chest, mountains of soft flesh that he would love to explore as their tongues briefly touched. Feeling Jill pull away once more, Leon's face was more confused this time.

"What…what was that one for?"

"An incentive for both of us to escape alive tomorrow…after all, we do make a pretty good team…" she said with a hint of seduction. Turning, she swayed her hips, knowing his eyes were watching every movement.

"_Hell yeah, Leon! You're the man!"_

Fist pumping, he replayed the kiss in his mind before following Jill to collect the others in the hall…

* * *

"Oh my god…actual bathrooms!" Elizbeth said happily as she made a beeline to the women's room. She had been holding it for awhile.

"Bullets! I so needed these!" Claire grinned from the altar as she pocketed the box of ammunition for her revolver. Taking a seat on the front pew next to Sherry, the girl leaned her head against Claire as Cindy sat on her other side.

"Thanks…for keeping me safe…" the child mumbled, her words slurring with exhaustion as the sandman quickly claimed her.

"I found a few blankets…nothing major but we can share one"

Nodding at the blonde, Claire closed her eyes as Pepper curled up in Sherry's lap.

"Yeah…I just want to sleep forever…" the exhausted sister of Redfield whispered as she closed her eyes. Watching as Claire quickly feel to slumber with Sherry and the little dog, the waitress looked at the second pew as Allyssa spread out with her hands as a pillow.

The reporter was already snoring lightly, her breathing even and steady as her body tried to heal the multiple bruises and aches she had slogged through on the journey so far.

"I'll keep first watch Jill, you get some rest" Leon told Valentine as he locked the door and stood against the wall with his new rifle.

"Alright, but wake us if you hear anything…wrong out there" Jill ordered as she rested her head against a pile of old bibles. Taking another bench, she was wrapped in a blanket as she slowly fell to sleep…with dreams of Leon in her mind.

Leaving the bathroom after a few minutes, Elizabeth saw most of the others fast asleep. Walking toward Leon, she took a post across from him as she gave him a light smile.

"Your really brave…you know that?"

"Just doing my job, Elizabeth" Leon replied as he looked at her beautiful face.

"No…you should get a medal after all this…and a pretty girlfriend…" she trailed off while curling a few strands of her blonde hair. Puffing out her chest, she glanced from the corner of her eye as Leon crossed his arms over his chest.

"_Look at them you sexy, brave man!"_

"I hardly need a medal for saving lives. I do it because its my job. As for a girlfriend…I'll get us all out alive first. But you should rest while you can. No telling what the next hour will bring" the officer instructed as Warren frowned.

"Are you sure…you don't want some…company?"

Leon recognized the body language as Elizabeth leaned forward, her large assets trying to shift in her dirty dress. It was flirtatious…a tell tale sign of interest for him. But he could hardly take up the offer when he was standing guard. Plus…Jill would be furious.

"_That's another thing? Was she just stressed? No…she talked about more after we escape tomorrow…Does Valentine want to date? Or just a fling? And now the mayor's daughter is practically asking me to do the same?" _

"If you want to talk, you can. But I need to keep guard incase that Birkin thing comes back…or the others show up. As a police officer, your safety is important to me and I can't jeopardize that"

Sighing…the woman's demeanor dropped as she wrapped her arms beneath her heavy bust. "I guess we can talk...I am worried about Wendy though. She's really helped me out"

"Same. The others are resourceful, but it's dangerous out there. Still…I can't help but think that girl is hiding something…"

Going quiet after that, both adults listened to the falling rain hitting the roof as they thought of the other survivors lost in the city…

**Lion Street 4:03 p.m.**

* * *

Wendy swung the bat into the zombie's head with all her might as it whisked through the rain. A heavy '_crack'_ sounded out as the former zoo employee staggered, but it didn't fall as it tried to regain its focus.

"Ugh…tough one" Wendy whispered as she rewound for another swing. The blow connected along the man's temple, sending a few teeth flying from the force as the undead male gave a painful groan. Falling to the rain soaked pavement, the employee struggled to stand as Elliot fired at another shambling corpse that was getting to close for comfort.

Two gunshots echoed across the silent street in the rain, the bullets claiming an older woman as her head became a mess of ruin. Letting out a soft sigh from skinless lips…she collapsed a dozen steps away from Marvell.

"Wendy! Stay with the group!" Edwards commanded as the fifteen year old placed a heavy boot on the chest of the dead employee.

Letting out a small grunt of exertion, she landed a sickening blow as the bat's end caved in the skull. Bashing it again, some bits of hairy gore and brain matter clung to the cylindrical surface for a few moments before washing away.

"I was trying to save you some ammo. If I can take down a few corpses with my bat, then I should" she shot back as the young woman studied the silent street around her.

"Kid's not wrong. Can't go wasting bullets on every single infected we come across" Ada Wong shrugged as her shoulder gave a light twinge. Ignoring the sensation of discomfort, the woman didn't bother looking at the girl standing several feet away from the roaring inferno.

A fuel fire had started among several vehicles, effectively sealing off the street south toward the clock tower. And despite the rain, it raged and raged unchecked as the flames licked at the surfaces of nearby buildings to their right. The stench of spilt fuel…charred flesh and death wasn't lost on any of them as a skeletal face glared out from a wreck nearby. It wasn't moving…but if that person had still been alive…

"Okay. No need to start arguing on how to take down the dead. Just don't go crazy and take on more than you can handle, alright Wendy? After all, you're really the only one with a semblance of medical knowledge" Marvin told the young girl, trying to be diplomatic in this situation.

"I still say it's bullshit she can cure you. This virus is brand new. No way a fifteen year old can cure a disease like this…unless she's hiding something from us?" Ada asked Wendy, drawing her ire.

"Oh…like how you left a minor alone in the basement of the R.P.D? Yeah, great job…_agent_" Marvell emphasized with a hiss as she turned away from the Asian woman and looked at the gate to the Raccoon city zoo.

"What's she talking about, Ada?" Rita asked as she stepped up. Her uniform was soaked…clinging to her skin as more thunder rumbled.

"It's nothing" she clipped back, the voice short as infected howls and hoots grew louder over the rain. An elephant trumpet blew in the distance, putting the human's on edge as Marvin stepped toward the gate.

"Whatever happened between you two, it ends right now. We can't afford petty squabbles. Now Wendy, are you sure you can help me with the infection?" Branagh asked. His wound flared at the mention or the tram accident, but he couldn't be sure which as he kept the Mp5 in his hands.

"I'll need a hospital lab…something that lets me work with blood like a centrifuge and all that. Just keep taking those anti-virals until then"

"Raccoon General is a few blocks past the park on the other side of the zoo…and pretty close to the clock tower"

Another infected animal howled, chilling Rita's words as the five human's stared at the gate leading to the city zoo…and the horrors within as more creatures howled and screamed.

Taking a deep breath as her skin crawled, Rita pushed against the large gate as the hinges squealed like dying iron. The others pushed through with her, their faces pensive and fearful. Zombies were slow and easy to deal with alone…but who knows what had happened here.

"_All these poor animals…"_ Williams silently thought as memories of happier days breeched her mind's eye. Days of sunshine…of feeding the baby goats…she loved this place. And to see it twisted by the evils of Umbrella…made her angry. Double checking her pistol, the shorter officer heard the gate close with another groan of protesting metal.

Looking forward, the five started to walk into the zoo as blood-curling monkey screams howled through the air…

**And wow! I didn't expect this to be done so fast! At first I thought of tacking on the whole zoo thing with this…but that would be a super chapter so…nope! Still, I hope you all enjoy this update! And fair warning, it will probably follow these five until they regroup with the others.**

**Aside from the that…I hope everybody has a great…and safe new year!**

**Elizabeth: JILL! DID YOU KISS LEON BEFORE ME!?**

**Jill: Of course not…**

**Allyssa: You did! I can tell!**

**Elizabeth: Aren't you sleeping?**

**Jill and Allyssa: No…we have to keep an eye on you and Leon**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	12. Wild Things

**Hello everybody! I am back with another chapter for your eye-holes! Yes…delicious eye holes… hahaha. But in all seriousness, I want to try and hammer out a few chapters for No Hope! Because once I'm done with this story…I WILL START MY MASS EFFECT/ GEARS OF WAR CROSSOVER! An idea I've had for…like two years now! But, I won't start a fifth story without finishing a current one. It just becomes problematic for me. Good news is I already have ideas for a few of the worlds..and what do you folks think? 'United Seran Coalition= U.S.C' 'Coalition of Government's=C.O.G' or 'Unified Government's of Sera= U.G.S" Granted, this is still months away, but I hope to have it rolling by spring or summertime. I'm kinda partial to the COG…or maybe the USC as the official name of their stellar empire. And if you feel up to do some math, 19 million Serans? How much would the population grow in say…250 years? Just because I don't want to say like ten billion in 270 A.E or some crazy thing. I'd like the numbers to be realistic for time and growth.**

**Aside from that, I hope everybody enjoys the next chapter…since I still don't own any media!**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 12: Wild Things**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 4:17 p.m. The Raccoon City Zoo**

The rain continued to fall, blooming out from individual impacts along the brick lined pathway of the zoo. Trash littered the ground, soaked as pamphlets of attractions and spilt open cups lay haphazardly all around the five. Howls and infected screeches echoed through the air, making the survivors clench weapons tighter.

Stepping past an overturned popcorn cart, Elliot kept his firearm lowered near his belt as the rain plastered his head. His soaked shoes squelched, crushing crumbling popcorn as he eyed the gateway twenty feet away. It was closed, styled like bamboo and towering twenty feet high…far too tall to climb. A side door was set in the gate, obviously for employees as it leaned precariously open. Sprays of blood glistened among the handle, but no infected could be seen.

"The path splits…which way?" Wendy asked as they stopped in the fork near Elliot. Turning her head to the left, the concourse stretched into the rain as several lamp-posts flickered. Electricity reflected off nearby gift shops with a flash in the sky, illuminating two zombies feeding on…some sort of animal near the end of the left path. Crouched down near a service road and an overturned zoo car a hundred yards away, the zombies continued to eat in the distance.

"Forward. That's only an access road toward the animal boarding building. I doubt we want to go there" Marvin informed the group as he stepped past Edwards. Moving toward the bamboo doorway, the older officer kept a tight grip on the MP5 as he pressed his back toward the gate. Then he heard them…screams. Human screams and shouts of panic.

"Survivors! Elliot! With me!" Marvin commanded as he pushed past the bloody door onto the main concourse. The others followed with haste, their weapons raised as a monstrous howl of hunger gripped the air.

"Wendy! Ada! Take up the rear!" Rita snapped, her training as an officer of the law spurning action as the fears of panic grew louder and closer.

Ada looked down the wide concourse, her boot accidentally stepping in some rotting flesh as she aimed over the sights of her berretta. The main thoroughfare of the zoo was a mess…strewn garbage while a few random corpses littered the brick lined path. Overturned vendor carts spattered with blood and bits of gore reflected in the rain as the group moved forward.

Ignoring that, the Asian woman looked further past the bridge and toward the open elephant pen…which was very empty. Three people were running, two men and a woman as fear gripped their distant eyes. One looked behind them, his dread felt from the distance as a horrendous roar gripped the air.

"RUN MINDY! FUCKING RUN!" a distant zoo employee screamed as the trio reached the bridge.

Something jumped over the distant fencing of wood and fake bamboo, landing before the distant group. The ground shook, trembled even from this distance of a few hundred feet as the three random survivors yelled in terrified surprise.

It…was a gorilla. But it had become grotesque…mutated as its clawed hands dragged across the cobblestone. Patches of fur and skin were missing along its torso and back, revealing red gristle as it stood taller on massive legs thicker than a human…that had no business being on a primate.

'**RRRAAARGGHHH!' **It bellowed in murderous rage. Swiping at the trio, the three survivors managed to avoid death as one of the men fired with a pistol. It smacked into the hard flesh, but seemed to only anger the undead beast.

"Holy crap…" Elliot gulped as dread gripped his heart.

Marvin ran past, his breathing and chest aching as his duty to the citizens of this city reared its head. Boots sloshed through rain, his face grim as he crouched near a cotton candy cart near another intersection.

"YOU THREE! RUN! WE'LL COVER YOU!" Marvin hollered over the rain as he pressed the weapon to his shoulder. Squeezing the trigger, he sent a stream of nine millimeter bullets into the abominations back as it backhanded one of the men. He let out a pained grunt as he impacted the stonework railing of the bridge, but the monster ignored it as it turned toward the newest attack.

"Dammit! We should've just kept going!" Ada cursed as she ran up near the corner of the T-intersection. Firing two times, the bullets impacted the barrel chest with a sickening slap of flesh…but did little to slow down the infected primate. It's spread's it's arms wide, the clawed tips glistening as the infected eyes locked onto the five. The teeth had sharpened…very far away from the herbivore molars it had before.

"Just like with me, huh!?" Wendy scowled as she raised her pistol and lined up the laser sight on the monster's face. It was thirty feet away now, the five forming a loose semi-circle among the intersection as the two unknown's tried to reach their downed friend. Angel wings adorned his jacket, the rain sluicing off as he tried to grasp a fallen crossbow nearby with a hiss of pain.

'**BANG! BANG! BANG!'**

The gunfire flashed against her skin, illuminating her eyes as two of the rounds struck the head. It bucked in anger, causing the third round to graze the thick neck muscle. Bits of gristle flew, lost among the rain and movement as the gorilla grunted.

"I'm sorry alright! I fucked up and shouldn't have left a damn kid!" Ada yelled out as she fired twice more. One of the rounds carved a furrow in the deformed head, a spatter of blood flying as tendrils of smoke left Ada's gun.

"**RRRAAAAAUUURRRRGHHH!"**

"You really pissed it off now!" Elliot warned as the gorilla scratched at it's face to fight the pain. Firing, he managed to strike the upper chest…but the rain and distance made more pinpoint accuracy a problem. Marvin fired another short burst with Rita and Ada, but chest shots seemed to only be absorbed as it coiled its legs.

"COME ON DARYL! TO THE BOAT!" The female employee cried out as she picked up the wounded man with her compatriot. The Gorilla ignored them, jumping into the air as the duo of civilians supported the wounded male in a biker jacket…who happened to snatch up his crossbow while fleeing. Disappearing down an access staircase at the bridge, the trio were removed from sight…not like the five had time to stop them anyway.

The infected, nightmarish gorilla landed behind Wendy and Ada, shaking the brickwork of the concourse as shards of material flew from the impact. Both women turning in realized horror as it raised a clawed paw, a vicious snarl on bloody lips. The monster swung, bladed claws like knives hissing through the falling rain as it targeted the younger girl.

Wendy tried to move out of the way…but it was too close. She could _smell_ the death on this thing as the attack flew closer. It was almost in slow motion from her perspective…but she knew that wasn't it at all as her eyes grew wide with impending terror.

"Fuck! LOOK OUT KID!" Ada cried out as she dove…and tackled Wendy to the soaked pavement. The knives of bone hissed above them both, skinning the damp air as both women landed hard near a pile of…rotten meat.

Elliot had spun, his weapon raised as light thunder rumbled above. The infected gorilla had missed…but it wouldn't take long as it reared back its other appendage to strike a finishing blow at the prone women. Ada was on top of Wendy, her back to the monster as both lay at its feet like prey. They were struggling to move…shift firearms upwards to continue fighting as Rita and Marvin tried to bring their weapons to bear in time.

And then? Fate smiled. Elliot Edwards got a full view of its scratched…bleeding, and torn face as it started to swing.

"Hey Gorilla! Your passports just been revoked!"

He fired, the pistol flashing a bloom of fire and lead as the first round tore through one of the infected eyes. It burst…but the policeman wasn't done as he fired again…and again…and again.

Six rounds tore through the air, the impacts punching through the ruined face with increasing damage…before the final two bullets reached the brain and ruined the infection. Blowing out the back of the skull in a spray of ruin, the policeman had done his job as he gave a light smirk.

The monster let out a small gasp…it's movements stopped as it tried to stay standing for a brief moment…then fell backwards onto the water logged pathway. Blood flowed from the head…and it stay still as Wendy and Ada slowly climbed to their feet as more rain fell.

"Thanks Ada…that was too close" Wendy gasped as a surge of fading fear and adrenaline coursed through her veins. Gripping her pistol, the fifteen year old stood tall as water continued to soak her to the bone.

"_I'm so sick of this shit…"_

"A little payback on my part…don't get used to it" the woman replied with a shrug as she kept on eye on the dead primate a few feet away. Covering its form, she lightly nudged its foot with caution.

"What the heck was that, Elliot? That whole line made no sense" Rita inquired as she popped her magazine and checked her remaining bullets.

"It's from Lethal Weapon Two. Come on, Rita"

"The situation didn't really fit that line, Edwards. I'm sorry, just the way it is. Maybe next time you'll get it right" Marvin said with a light chuckle escaping his lips. The sound of a motor caught his attention, the police Lieutenant turning toward the bridge as the small exchange was pushed away.

"Those people…did they make it?" Wendy asked in worry as she ran to the small bridge over the tributary of the river that snaked through parts of the city. Peering over the edge seconds later with the others, the five breathed a small sigh of relief. The trio were on a small motor boat, the woman steering the craft in the storm as the other two sagged with exhaustion. One looked back…a small nod on his tired face before the craft rounded a distant bend in the waterway.

"At least they made it…hope they escape" Marvin whispered in thanks, his spirit lightly higher as he ran a hand down his tired features. His skin was slick…muscles tired and sore…but he had managed to assist in the salvation of a few.

'_**thump…'**_

The five felt it…the light vibrations in their feet as they looked around. Buildings burned along the skyline…screams and popping gunfire far away as moans mixed in with the falling rain.

"Did you feel that? Cause I sure as hell did" Wendy asked the others, her feet shuffling away from the stone barrier as her eyes darted back and forth.

'_**Thump…'**_

It had gotten closer…the tremors racing up their legs as Rita turned toward the elephant stage…and its very warped and destroyed doors for holding Oscar. She gulped…new fear crawling up her spine as a loud, trumpeting wail bellowed over the hoots and infected howls of everything in the dead zoo.

"Yeah…I think we should leave" Marvin whispered as another painful ache flared along his bandaged side.

'_**THUMP!...CRACK!'**_

The elephant's trunk wailed again…far too close now. And it sounded wrong…so wrong to the survivors as the stone wall lining the property to the right buckled and cracked under a heavy blow. A trunk wavered above the wall, bites and strips of skin missing as a large limb started to climb over the crumbling barrier.

"Okay…FUCKING RUN!" Wendy shouted, her legs already carrying her the way they had come as the rain suddenly lightened up to a drizzle.

'_**CRAAASH!'**_

Ada looked back over her slender shoulder marred by spark burns…and felt the fear rising as the infected elephant bulldozed through the wall. It reared back, the tusks reflecting blood as big, virus laden eyes watched the human's flee. It slowly turned, the large feet stomping and vibrating the ground before letting out another infected wail from its diseased trunk.

"RIGHT! GO RIGHT!" Marvin shouted with fright as the group surged toward the second path in the intersection. A large, wooden gate covered with bamboo greeted them again, but none of them cared. Angry, loud footsteps were following them, shaking the earth as the five poured through the emergency door.

Ada was through first, her eyes catching the glimpse of escaped hyenas feeding on a corpse halfway down the concourse. They were diseased too…patches of dead skin and exposed musculature easily seen…and one turned toward them. It snarled…blood and bits of flesh dangling from teeth as it eyed the fresh prey.

"Forget them! Inside the administration office!" Rita commanded as she ran down a side path. She pumped her legs, willing them to go faster and faster as the side door to the building loomed. New found adrenaline coursed through her system, fueled by fear as the elephant footsteps grew louder and closer. Reaching it, the shorter blonde flung it open as Elliot and Ada moved up the steps like Olympic sprinters.

"Hurry!" Marvin urged as he backpedaled and urged Wendy on with a wave of his hand. The barking sounds of the dead hyena's were closing fast…along with their larger pursuer. One of the infected scavengers rounded the corner, but Marvin was ready with his sub-machine gun.

A four round burst flew, hitting it in the flank and neck as bits of fur and skin spun away. Turning, he was running before the empty brass hit the ground.

"COME ON!" Wendy screamed from the doorway as two more dead animals ran after the Lieutenant. The teenager fired past him, the laser sight centered on the beast as drool flew from its mouth.

It yelped, the bullet grazing its skull before she fired again. This shot found a home, boring through the brain pan with a shattering of bone as it collapsed in a pile.

'_**CRRAAAASSSHHH!'**_

Oscar burst through the nearby gate, wood and beams splintering like a bursting flower. Some of the shards embedded in his flanks or stomach…but the undead beast didn't care as the eyes searched for prey.

Marvin hurried inside, his chest heaving as Wendy closed the door before locking it. Would it help? Probably not as the teenager peered out one of the windows. She could see it…the elephant stomping closer as plaster rained down from the ceiling.

They were in the main office of the zoo, a silent tomb as desks and workplaces were left abandoned. Computer screens still glowed, the screen savers dancing with flying stars. One of the desks was covered in a spray of dried blood…but no body could be seen as old cups and food containers lay scattered about.

"In here…quietly" Rita whispered as she opened a door across the office room. The hinges creaked, a desire for oil making the five cringe as they moved into the larger office. Elliot shut the door, the simple latch clicking as the angry Oscar stomped outside.

'_**Crash!'**_

The building trembled, the walls shaking and spilling dust as the five humans moved toward the center of the head office.

"I think… he's trying to get inside" Elliot wavered as he pointed his firearm toward the door. His stance was strong…but damn he needed a break as his chest heaved for oxygen. More dust and plaster fell from the walls and ceiling as the infected elephant bellowed again…but no zombified trunk burst through the door.

The others were on guard as well, each watching a corner…or in the case of Ada and Rita, the large window at the back of the office. But the path behind was narrow…barely enough for a human as earth trembling footsteps rattled the floor once more.

'_**CRASH!'**_

The structure shook from their left, causing all five to spin toward the source…and the second door set in the far wall. The building rumbled again, the monster outside searching for them as another sorrowful trumpet wailed. It pierced their souls…a cringeworthy bleat of noise and death as they each held their breath.

Minutes passed…and nobody moved as Oscar continued his search. It was so tense that Rita didn't even dare wipe the beads of watery sweat trickling down her nose. The floor and ground vibrated again as the elephant stomped. Then…it started to lessen…and lessen as the footfalls faded. Another minute passed before Wendy finally moved, her arms lowering the gun as she breathed deeply. An exhale of stress and anger…fear and terror washing over them all as Elliot braced his hands on the knees of his dirty uniform.

"Damn…god damn that was…an actual zombie elephant"

"We all saw it Edward…and I'm glad we ran. I seriously doubt we could have killed it with pistols and this" Marvin emphasized as he held the MP5.

"Yeah…that thing could probably eat one of us whole" Wendy muttered with a nightmarish shudder as she started to look around the office. Plaque's and paintings decorated the walls while a bookcase held a head bust of the founder. And despite the emergency and destruction gripping Raccoon…the office was surprisingly clean.

"I say we take a small break…search this building for anything we can use. Maybe find a map and try to find our way through this without running into our big friend outside" Ada suggested as she leaned against the large, oak desk. Rubbing her shoulder that had taken sparks of metal from the crash, the mercenary tried to dry herself…to no avail. Her dress clung to her body, a tight fabric of red as water dripped from her hair.

"No need. I know this place like the back of my hand. Not only did I love coming here, but I also had to arrest a few vandalizers this past summer. I can get us toward the far side of the zoo" Rita stated with a hint of pride…and bits of sorrow as she could only guess what the rest of the animals were like.

"Really now? Well that's useful" Ada commented as she sat on the desk. Crossing her long legs, the musculature showed toned muscles that displayed a hidden strength for the woman.

"Yeah…the only thing that worries me is if the zoo tram is there or not. If it is, it can take us near the park and hospital…which is really close to the clock tower" the female officer explained as the light patters of rain continued to lighten outside.

"And if it's not?" Elliot asked, but he knew the answer in his gut already.

"Then we have to walk across at least a dozen blocks of who knows what" Rita finished as she sat down against the wall and sighed.

"Okay…well we'll come to that once we get across the zoo. For now, take a rest people. Thirty minutes at least" Marvin ordered as he moved to the plush chair…and eased himself down with a heavy groan. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in the sinking chair as the others settled down and took a much needed break from the nightmare outside.

Wendy tried to stay still with the others…she really did, but the howls and screeches from infected wildlife made her cringe. Every time something hooted…or cried in the distance, her skin crawled.

"_Or maybe it's the fact I'm soaked to the bone? Or just…overtired? Ah…fuck it all anyway"_

Shivering, the teenager rubbed her arms as the four others rested in some way. The skin was rough with goosebumps as another creature howled in the late afternoon of the October day. Shaking her head, Wendy finally moved toward the door as the girl started to feel a pressure in her bladder. _"Great. Now I need to use the bathroom…"_

"Where are you going, Wendy?" Rita asked as she stood up from her spot near the bookcase. Checking her weapon, the blonde wasn't about to let the girl wander off.

"Bathroom. And I'm too wired to rest anyway"

"I'll go with you" Walking toward the door, Rita could've sworn she heard a soft sigh of exasperation escape the girl's lips…but ignored it as the younger survivor let out a weary shrug.

"Fine. Just don't be weird about it" Opening the door, the duo left the remaining three in the head office. A coating of dust greeted them while flakes of plaster still floated in the still air. Lights hummed above them, one flickering as they stood in the hallway littered with discarded items of all sorts.

Across from them were lockers with names on them, presumably the former employees as an trail of blood arced across the metallic faces of some. Others were left open, leaving uniforms and other personal items to dangle freely.

Wendy stepped over the drying crimson, her eye's locked on the hole in the ceiling upfront near the main entrance. Plaster had fallen on a few desks, coating the forward office in a fine layer as the sounds of the dying city grew more louder…and sinister. The teenager ignored the dreadful sounds, her eyes centering on the women's bathroom to her left along the short hall. The door was right past the lockers…hanging open as a gore ridden handprint dragged across the beige wall toward the men's room.

"I'll check it with you, okay?" Rita assured the teenager. Wendy nodded, her back already pressed to the frame as she tried to peer inside. Lights flickered, a staccato like a sinister strobe as the girl pulled her bat for use.

"Thanks. Probably should check the other one too" she suggested, her blue bangs hanging past her eyes before she moved in with a flourish. The door banged against the wall from their entrance, a resounding clap of wood against painted walls.

A typical restroom greeted them both as a lone sink and mirror took the wall to their immediate left. Two stalls were on the right, both doors closed as the faint smell of disinfectant and cleaning supplies wafted toward their nostrils.

"Nothing…" Rita whispered as she lowered her pistol. Glancing at Wendy, the girl had crouched low, her eyes peering under the stall doors. A small sigh of relief left her lips as she stood up, her stance lowered.

"Don't see any squatters or anything…Still…" Wendy said with a murmur as she pushed the first stall door open.

Nothing. A toilet with the lid closed and half a roll of toilet paper. Moving to the next, the girl pushed it open and found the same.

"Well…that's a relief" Rita tried to smile as her shorter friend nodded…then walked into the stall and closed the door before clicking the latch. Rustling clothes were heard along with mild complaints of soaked garments as the girl made use of the facilities.

"A few minutes of privacy please"

"Right…I'll be outside…" Rita apologized as she hurried to the door and closed it swiftly. Knowing she'd use it next, caution was still warranted. Scrutinizing the door to the men's room, the officer knew she should check it out while Wendy was busy.

Shuffling her feet forward toward the next restroom, Rita could feel the sensation of rot…of death coming from the men's room. Gulping, she pushed the door open as it swung on a low creak of hinges…and her mouth gagged at the stench inside.

The overhead light showed everything. The spray of coagulating ichor across the mirror…the pieces of rotting flesh resting in the urinal's as flies buzzed and fed on the decaying gore.

"Oh god…" she gulped as her eyes checked for threats. None could be seen…but the vile smell was making her eyes water. Then she saw them…the shoes sticking out from the single stall in the corner. A pool of blood had gathered there…stretching across the tile as Williams moved closer.

The tan stall door was partially open, an entrance to possible death. She would have to be fast…drop the zombie before it could react. Raising a shoed foot, she kicked it open with a bang…and found the dead security guard sitting on the seat. He had been young…probably only mid-twenties as the pistol still was entwined in necrotic fingers.

Multiple bites had been taken from his arms…and a final one at his shoulder as more insects fed. And the back of the stall? Sprayed with his brains as chunks still…clung to the surface like glue from the self-inflicted gunshot.

"Well…at least he won't come back…" Rita said mournfully before she looked down at his holster. Cringing as she leaned forward, the woman blinked back the smell as her fingers snapped the spare magazine free. Gripping it, she whispered small apologies to the dead…then noticed something covered by his other hand that was resting on his lap.

It was round and metallic…covered with dried blood as she nudged the fingers away with a grimace. A medallion of silver…or at least looking like it, displaying a male lion facing West. A crumpled note was with it…blood soaking into the paper as she quickly unfolded it.

Glancing back at the dead male, Rita shook her head at the wasted life before leaving the men's room. After all, nothing else could be found. Standing in the hallway, she witnessed Wendy emerging from the other bathroom with a look of relief on her younger face.

"Find something?"

"Yeah…" Rita finished before walking back to the office. Walking up to Elliot who was…laying on the ground, she lightly tossed the spare magazine onto his chest with a light expulsion of air. "Here. I know your low on bullets"

"Ugh…yeah, thanks" the man coughed lightly as he eyed the other object in her hands.

"Find something, Williams?" Marvin asked from the chair as he leaned forward, the break not long enough as the fellow officer nodded. Uncrumpling the bloody note, Rita tried to make out the scrawl between the dried blood.

"Um…it says…The king of the jungle looks West, his queen East and once they stare, the path North opens"

"What?" Wendy asked in disbelief as Rita held up the medallion…blood streaks and all as she squinted.

"It's…that old story about this place"

"Enlighten us" Ada commanded, her eyes all business as Rita clenched the object before she started to explain.

"Basically when they built the zoo, there was a rumor that the two medallions at the north gate could be removed to close the entrance. Of course, it was never confirmed since both of them were set in stone pillars and basically cemented in. As far as the police or city is concerned, that gate opened and closed like any other…but if its true and this one is here…"

"Then we might have to search for the other among all these blood thirsty animals while a killer Elephant is stomping around" Elliot concluded with a groan. Pocketing the full magazine, the younger officer ran a hand through his brown hair as Marvin slowly stood up.

"Okay…we can handle this. First, lets search this place for anything else. Then, we head toward the north gate with the assumption the other is missing. We keep an eye out for it, supplies, and on each other. Don't wander off…don't use unnecessary ammunition…and run if Oscar comes back" the lieutenant finished as Ada hopped off the desk, her dress clinging to her backside that would give Leon quite the view.

"Okay, you heard him. Search every drawer, desk, and locker in this place" Wendy gestured with a clap of her hands…then promptly turned and left the room once more. Already searching the first locker, the teenager was being thorough as the others started to spread out in the building.

"Four Elephant gun shells…that's it and a can of mountain dew" Ada grumbled as she set the found items on the break room table. Dust and plaster coated everything…choking the air as she looked out the window with droplets sliding down. The rain had ceased…finally halting as she looked at the gate toward the observation pathway across the concourse from the administration building…and muttered in anger. It was a tangle of broken beams and wood…a deadly mess that would prevent any human from going through. Not to mention a few undead people were impaled or otherwise stuck among the broken beams that were like sharpened toothpicks. Suffice to say…they would not be going that way.

Ignoring the nearby moans and hungry rasps of the dead, Ada watched as Elliot scooped up the Elephant shells and pocketed them. Frankly…she didn't care if he took them. Without the proper rifle, they were useless anyway…and who knows where that particular weapon could be in this hell.

"If that's it…then let's get going" Marvin ordered the group as he slowly opened the front doors. Keeping his pistol raised, the older officer felt the MP5 bump and shift against his back. Clothes still drenched, his eyes darted for those Hyena's from earlier…then found the last…imitating a pancake.

"Looks like it's clear…" Ada added as she hurried down the steps, her shoes splashing a light puddle near the corpse.

"Okay. Let's hurry to the Elephant Stage. We'll cut through the Terrarium Dome and past the lake since the other path is…"

"A tangle of fucking wood and biting zombies?" Elliot said with a tease.

"Yeah. That" Rita replied as she took point due to her knowledge of the zoo. Heading back the way they came as they hurried past the gorilla and over the bridge, the five heard the death cries of the animals as they moved quickly…but cautiously.

'_Slurp'_

Ada froze, hearing the light sound coming from behind as the others stopped. Slowly turning, she kept her finger barely pressing the trigger as dread rose…and saw Wendy drinking the Mountain Dew.

Seeing everybody look at her with disbelief or confusion, the teenager drank more soda as the sugary sweetness washed down her throat with burning bubbles.

"What?"

"Dammit Wendy…drink quietly!" Ada hissed as the girl took another gulp…then tossed the can away with a clatter. It rolled, resting near a few bits of strewn muscle and tufts of fur.

"A little sugar boost…always a fun time" The teenager smirked as the four adults just shook their heads and moved on.

The heavy scent of rain and mildew clung the air as the five stopped at the massive performance stage for Oscar. To their left was a metal door flecked with rust, set into the concrete wall that led to the bird sanctuary as avian's cawed and crowed. Stale hay and the scent of dung was sniffed by all as a few large beach balls and other items lay strewn about. Splatches of gore, blood, and other unidentified viscera littered the arena as flies buzzed.

Looking upward, Marvin studied the massive gate that had once housed the elephant. The bars were twisted…poking toward the darkening sky like rusting daggers as evening approached. Strips of gray flesh hung from the ruined points…dangling and shifting in the soft breeze as a distant gunshot cracked.

"Christ…what the hell has happened to my city?" Marvin asked his fellow officers as a bit of flesh tore…and fell. It slapped toward the bricked pavement, the sound rising above the immediate silence "I remember when the zoo first brought him here…they did a special report about Oscar" He told the others with a hint of mirth and remembrance. Staring upward at the stadium seating surrounding the stage, he could make out discarded drinks and snacks as blood clung to the seats.

"_**AAAAHHHHH!"**_

The five snapped their guns upward, drawn to the noise of the announcer's booth. A man pressed his back against the glass above them, his hands leaving trails of red as he screamed again. The undead grabbed at him…grasping and tearing as he let out a painful wail. One of the infected pressed forward, digging her teeth into his shoulder as several others did the same.

'_**Crack…CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!'**_

The window spiderwebbed, the weight of bodies too great as the glass shattered far too quickly for any of the survivors to react.

'_**AAAUUUGHHhhhh!'**_

The poor soul fell, the dead following as his body slapped and bounced against the pavement. Infected broke legs and arms…but they didn't care as they sunk rancid teeth into the recently deceased. Sinew and flesh was pulled, a horrible snacking as Elliot gulped.

"Shit…"

"There's…uh…more" Wendy pointed, her index finger stretched out as half a dozen of the former citizens started to crawl and climb through the window above. They fell without a care to the feeding frenzy below. Some joined in, their legs snapping as bones stuck out…but others started to rise as they spotted the living humans.

A zoo worker staggered, his uniform coated with dried gore as the ragged stump of his left arm dangled. Cracked teeth snarled…and other zombies followed as Wendy backpedaled. They had a single purpose now…to feed on them as the dead survivor was forgotten. Those that could…rose from the feast as raw flesh dangled from broken jaws. Surging forward, the tiny horde let out a sorrowful desire of pain and hunger.

"Fuck it! Save your ammo!" Grabbing Rita's wrist, the younger girl pulled the officer along toward the side door as hungry rasps followed like a nightmare. Gripping the knob, she twisted hard and pulled…thanking whatever god there was that it wasn't stuck. It flew open, giving Rita entrance as Wendy spun toward the rear, her gun raised. The dead had already rounded the corner…a hungry rasp and diseased movements following as the others sprinted.

"DAMMIT!" Edwards cursed while running through the doorway. Looking back, he breathed a sigh of relief as Marvin slid through…then Ada and the girl before they slammed it shut. Ada fumbled the lock, the click audible to all as the five stepped back.

"That poor man…" Rita gasped with horror at what they just saw. She had no idea who he was…only that he needed their help. But they had arrived to la—

'_**Thud!'**_

The zombies pressed against the metallic door, making it shake as the frame rattled while snarls and rasps filtered from the other side of the wall.

"There was nothing we could do. He was already doomed. Now I suggest we keep moving before those freaks get through and try the same with us" Ada stated with a deepening frown. Turning, she stepped toward the glass door of the Terrarium Dome. It was broken…droplets of dried blood hanging on the ruined glass as humidity graced her features.

Sticking her hand through to unlock the latch, the woman in red pushed it open as Wendy followed with Elliot. Humidity staggered against them all, laden with heavy moisture and dampness.

"That's some damn heat…can cut it with a knife" Marvin exclaimed as their hungry pursuers rattled the metal door again. Something cracked…alarming the five as Wendy glanced back. Spotting a large, metal trashcan, the girl cocked her head to Elliot. He understood, the two rapidly pushing it across the brick pavement with a scrape of metal to block the door…despite the missing glass.

"We should hurry…"

A screeching squawk rang in their ears from above, causing them to finally study their surroundings as dread rose once more. Thick vines and branches covered the walls of the dome, crawling upward to cover most of the surfaces as strange, unknown flowers bloomed. The trees and vines were so thick, that the normal walkway was almost enshrouded on all sides…and things were moving in there. More birds cawed, making Wendy and the others grip weapons tighter as the flutter of wings echoed in the foliage.

"Behind me Wendy. No discussion" Edward ordered as he stepped up next to Ada. He was an officer…and dammit, no kid should be doing his job…despite the primal instincts gripping his gut. Everything in him was yelling at him to run…to hide from this place, but he couldn't.

"Fine…but I'm right behind you" She said in a whisper of support as the metal door rattled again.

Ada took point, walking past a staircase that led to the upper observation path on her right. It was an instant non-option as the vines on the first landing…moved like grasping tentacles. A rasp came from them, her eyes darting to the source as an ensnared zombie tried to escape the plant life. Tendrils were poking through the rancid torso, most likely taking nutrients as the mercenary gave a small shudder. She hoped the man had already been dead before falling to that fate.

The path curved along the dome wall, the greenery still thick as the five moved in unison. Rita and Marvin took up the rear, weapons pointed to the ground as they tried to move silently.

"Lieutenant…I feel like we're being watched…" Williams whispered as sweat poured down her brow. A trio of caws echoed from above, making her twitch as Marvin nodded with a deepening frown.

"Same here…just keep moving" the older officer replied in a low voice as the banging on the door faded. _"Hopefully they gave up…" _

"Shhh…" Ada let out with a hiss, her body tense as the canopy above them separated and dispersed. Her and Elliot moved from the safety of the overhanging plant life, their footsteps soft as they gulped. Water trickled down leaves…the scent of moss heavy along the thirty foot stretch of pathway. An alcove fifteen feet to their right could be seen, the resting benches and learning kiosks overgrown with vines as strange pollen wafted. A corpse lay on the ground…the clothing a mess of torn fabric and flesh as the culprits roosted above the body…and everywhere else.

Birds. Dozens upon dozens of birds were staring down at them from numerous branches and tree limbs. Tropical Toucan's, Parrots, Macaws, and many assorted others with colorful feathers and yellowed beaks…except they were not right. Bits of stringy flesh dangled from the billed beak of a Toucan, its beady eyes almost red as it watched the five human's…with hunger. Some of the avian's were missing patches of feathers…others with long scratches among their bodies. Others were still feeding on the corpse of the unknown woman, pulling bits of muscle free. They hopped over the corpse and around it, their clawed feet clicking among the gravel before feeding once more.

"No. Sudden. Movement's" Wendy whispered at a barely audible level. Silently placing her right foot before the left, she kept her pistol raised upward as she gulped. Rita aimed at the birds in the rest area, her arms tense as many stopped to stare…then peck at more rotting flesh like scavengers.

'_**Caw!'**_

The five froze from the sound as the Macaw warbled, a rotten finger falling from its large beak. Another bird flew after it, snatching it up with a rapid gulp.

'_**Caw! CAW! CAW!'**_

The riled themselves up with flutters of feathers, some pecking at each other or shifting spots on the branches…but none dove toward the human's yet.

"Slowly Rita…slow" Marvin urged on as he felt beads of sweat gather under his armpits. More trickled down his temple…but he didn't dare try to wipe it away. His boot crunched softly on the gravel path…moving in unison with the others. His fellow officer was afraid…terrified of these things as she stayed silent.

"_Please…don't let me get pecked to death…"_

"Fifteen feet…" Edwards whispered back, his eyes darting to the archway of greenery and foliage that covered the pathway ahead. It was their safe haven…away from these diseased birds as they watched them like thirsty vultures.

"Just don't run. They're all infected…" Ada cautioned with a serious furrow of her forehead as she stepped foot over foot. Her aim never wavered…never left her targeted bird as they cawed and fluttered once more.

'_**CAW! CAW! CaW! cAW!'**_

"It's just like the Apple Inn…except there's no fire this time…or standing on a ledge above the street" Wendy whispered as her eyes darted to the birds above with fear. It was almost palpable…thick as the air as the five moved step by step.

The Avian's watched intently…their tiny brains trying to decide if the slow forms below were food or not. Another let out an infected squawk like indignation, the first disappearing beneath the trees as the others vanished from view over the next minute.

'_**Squawk! Caw! Caw!'**_

Marvin breathed a deep gasp, his hand gripping a nearby information kiosk with colorful displays. Glancing back toward the open area as a few feathers drifted down, he breathed once more as he wiped some sweat away.

"Damn…those beady eyes…I felt like they wanted to eat my soul" Edwards uttered, his words floating upwards as more birds cawed…or screeched.

"We made it through…that's what's important. Now we just cross the bridge across the lake and the observation path then we should be at the North Gate. Hopefully with a tram" Rita prayed with her words as Ada looked at Wendy, the girl a little pale.

"Tangle with some birds already?"

"Yeah…before the station with Allyssa. Not pleasant with all the lickers, zombies, and fire" the teenager remembered as she wiped her brow. Watching as Ada and Edwards collected themselves, the two adults stared to lead the way down the winding pathway.

"Come on. Let's get going Wendy" Rita tried to smile with a comforting hand on her shoulder…even though every bird call made her skin crawl. Frowning deeply, the blunette nodded as the five moved steadily down the overgrown path of trees, vines, and who knows what else. A light tearing could be heard, emanating past the leftward curving corner as the five kept weapons raised. A growl followed…the light sounds of chewing coming from the hidden exit. Birds screeched above the thick canopy, their anger justified as they hunted for more.

A tendril snapped at Elliot, almost scraping his temple, but thankfully missing in a whiff of air as the survivors followed the curved path against the exterior wall. He gasped while dodging, almost butting into Ada as the appendage hovered and floated through the stifling humidity.

"Scared of a plant, Edwards?" Ada smiled lightly with the corners of her lips upturned. Keeping her firearm raised on the curved pathway, she felt the humidity still clogging the air. Stepping over a large root that was a sickly, greenish blue color, the spy picked her way past other tangles of vines along the floor.

"It's normal to be cautious of moving plants, Ada" the man snapped back. It continued to move and shift…hissing and whiffing the air. Inching past, the remaining three quickly left it behind as they rounded the last bend of the Terrarium Dome.

Two zombies were feeding on a long deceased man, their pallid skin covered with vines as one pulled on the dead flesh of the fallen. They might have been workers here…part of the sanitation crew, but it was hard to tell as the second sank her teeth into the deceased. Pulling part of the facial skin away, the former woman of…sizable weight chewed…noisily chomping.

Their feeding was right near a second alcove, most likely meant for viewing the birds and wildlife in happier days…and only ten feet from the exit door.

"I'll…never get used to seeing that…" Rita gulped as the second worker tore more flesh with bloody teeth. It pulled and snapped, a horrific sound to the five…then the first started to raise its head.

"Dammit! Don't let them get up!" Wendy cautioned with a whispered shout. Running forward as the overweight woman continued to feed, the girl switched to her bat…and swung as hard as she could toward the zombified man.

The skull cracked, lolling to the side as part of the jaw broke. He fell backwards, the moving corpse trying to re-orient itself as the teenager rapidly spun…and struck the woman across the temple. Blood flew, flying in an arc as the fat zombie grunted. Flesh left her lips, the face missing some from the bite she had suffered…and died from. Wendy swung again, her eyes almost feral as her baseball bat crashed against the temple once more. The infected fell to the side among the tendrils of the alcove, but wouldn't get a chance to rise again. The blunette swung a third time, the gore swathed bat embedding into the cracked brain cavity. The zombie lay still, but the other was already starting to rise as she spun with a flail of hair.

"Stubborn kid! Always running off!" Elliot said with hints of annoyance and anger. Running forward, he raised his firearm to kill the first man as it started to stand.

"The birds! Don't fire!" Wendy warned as she stepped back. The zombie had found its footing, the jaw hanging at an odd angle as a gurgle left its lips. Gripping her bat, she jumped back slightly as the undead swiped at her with an outstretched hand.

The broken fingers missed, throwing the body off balance for a moment…the girl struck. Moving to his left flank, she swung low before connecting with the kneecap. It snapped with a sickening pop, making the others lightly cringe as the zombie fell forward. It groaned…eyeing Rita with diseased eyes as it tried to crawl forward. Wendy stepped on it's back, her boot planted firm as she rose the melee weapon…and swung down with all her might.

'_**Crunch!'**_

The rounded, metal tip sank into the skull, a showing of gristle and gore that splattered the vine covered ground. Pulling it out with a sickening sound, Wendy draped the weapon over her shoulder with a grin.

"Remind me never to play baseball against you" Marvin stated before his scowl deepened. "Still…don't go running off like that. What if there had been more zombies hiding in that alcove? Or something worse?" the lieutenant scolded the girl.

"I get it, but those two had to be taken care of. Popping off guns in here…might as well call every bird to peck our eyes out. I like my eyes" She replied back…just as a soft groan grew behind her.

"You missed one" Ada chastised lightly as she stood over the victim, the former man struggling to stand despite the horrid state of his body. Raising her boot, she slammed it down on the head. It crunched like ripened fruit, making her scowl deeply.

"_Such nice boots…"_

"I took out two. That counts for more" The teenager lightly huffed as the spy cocked her head to the side. The deceased was gripping something…clutched by stiff fingers as she stooped down.

"Find something?" Rita asked the slender female as the others gathered close. Standing near the entrance way of the avian, viewing area, the blonde officer barely recognized it. A literal dome of vines and plantlife had grown…the green roots covering the floor. Then her eye saw something sparkle among the greenery. Something round…and silver.

"A…makeshift flamethrower" Ada murmured, her slender fingers freeing it from the rigor mortis. Fixed to a glue gun and can of WD-40, it had been literally taped together. Handling it, she felt Rita pat her arm rapidly. Following the extended finger, the stunning woman slowly rose.

"Everyone…look"

"If I didn't know better…that looks like a lion sized medallion…" Wendy stated evenly as she stood near the exit door. It was a wooden one this time that covered the heavy metal, which made her question the architect's sanity of this whole place. Seriously…medallions for a gate? Who the hell designs a zoo like that? And changing door types? It made no sense.

Digging through the deceased pockets, Ada found a simple bic lighter of plastic. A light green, she rose it to the nozzle as she stepped into the alcove with Rita. The vines moved…flickering their ends as receptors sensed…something.

"Rita…you'll need to be fast, got it?" the Asian woman commanded as she lifted the lighter toward the nozzle of the impromptu flame-thrower.

"Got it" Williams replied, her stance inching forward as more of the sinister vines danced and swayed. One snapped the air inches from her face, making the woman sweat nervously as she eyed the medallion buried in some plant life.

'_**FWOOOSH!'**_

A burst of flame flew, a trail of fire and heat as it washed up against the flora. It shrieked…almost angry as the vines danced and sliced the air. Pulling back away from the lion medallion as fire ate and crackled against the vines, Rita surged forward.

Reaching a hand, she ducked low as a snaking tendril slapped against her shoulder like a water-logged brick. She cried out, the blow much harder than it looked. Another jet of flame rushed past her, igniting the green flesh as another shriek bellowed from somewhere up ahead. Grasping the medallion, it felt almost cool as she pulled it free…and felt a renewed sense of dread from dozens upon dozens of suckers behind. They moved…sensing her warm body as tiny pricklers made themselves seen. Then more…and more moved toward her with a single purpose along snaking vines. Trying to escape as the fire still licked and danced over the plant, she fell on her ass as a vine snaked toward her foot.

"CRAP!" she shouted, the appendage already grazing her shoe as more vines converged on the human female who felt death dance up her spine.

Strong arms grabbed her, pulling Rita back as Elliot and Marvin dragged her away from danger with grunts of exertion.

"Gotcha Williams! We gotcha!" Elliot reassured her as the vines lost their meal…but they didn't give up as some thicker than branches slithered across the floor to the five near the exit. Some were alite, burning from Ada as she sent another tendril of flame toward the living plant. It screamed once more, smoke of black rising into the humid air. Squawks and Caws grew angry, a fluttering of feathers and hateful screeches from the plant lined tunnel as beating wings grew louder. The birds had decided to pursue their escaping feast after all.

"FUCK IT! THIS WHOLE PLACE IS PISSED OFF!" Wendy hollered as she yanked the door open. Running through, she held it open as Ada followed…with Marvin and Elliot basically manhandling Rita through the exit. Taking one last look into the Terrarium Dome, all Wendy saw was dozens of angry birds coming around that last corner near the dead zombie…and burning, waving plant vines that were dancing with fire.

Slamming the door shut, it rang in the cool air as evening grew closer and closer. Taking a step back, the metal door covered with fake wood rattled…but held. Breathing a sigh of relief, Wendy could feel the mist of moisture in the air as her boots crunched gravel.

"Thanks Marvin. You too Elliot" Rita smiled warmly as she pocketed the second medallion in her side pouch.

"Any time Williams, any time" Marvin said with a re-assuring pat on her shoulder. His side ached…always aching as mist clung to his dirty uniform…but he was just glade to get out of there in one piece.

"Now. We just have to cross the foot bridge over the lake and…" Rita had turned, the words cutting off as the group looked at the pedestrian bridge…or the lack of one. Oh, the starting boards were there…and ended about ten feet over the murky water in destroyed planks and shattered wood. The body of water was large, almost a hundred feet wide as pedals and lily pads floated on the surface. To their far right, a wire fence rose among a curving wall of concrete. Most was below water, lapped with scum and algae.

"Oh…YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!" Rita yelled in frustrated anger and annoyance. Looking over the oval lake, she could see the distant part of the bridge on the opposite shore…and the observation deck beyond the concrete wall and door.

"It's fine Rita, we can just swim across" Elliot suggested, his eyes studying the water as a piece of driftwood floated. The chunk of wood turned…sinking below the water…then rose again as it snorted.

"I think that would be a bad, stupid idea" Ada commented as she studied the water. Other parts of the liquid rippled…showing that danger lurked below.

"Alligators…great. And even if they weren't infected, they probably would still hunt us anyway" Wendy muttered with a pinch of her nose and closed eyes. _"Can't anything be easy?"_

"What are they even doing here? This is the flamingo habitat. Reptiles are on the other side of the zoo?' Rita asked in a stupor, her heart finally re-calmed after almost being eaten by plants…or birds.

"Does it matter? This whole city is a mess now" Wendy snapped back. Walking toward the shore, she picked up a rock…and tossed it into the middle of the small body of water. Movement thrashed, kicking up surf and bubbles as the gators attacked whatever had caused the disturbance.

"No way we can cross that" Marvin said, his voice hollow as his eyes darted to the fencing at the right of the lake. Walking over, he was joined by Elliot as the officers inspected the concrete border. The fence was tall and sturdy while a small shelf of concrete supported the metal. It was narrow…but…

"This might work. It's narrow and risky, but it's the only way I can see across" Branagh exclaimed as he moved to the joining of the shoreline and outcropping of concrete. Placing a tentative step on the material, he gripped the fence…and slowly stepped sideways. The metal rattled lightly, but he didn't fall in as he moved over the water.

"Come on, we can make it along here. Just don't slip" he warned, the older man stepping cautiously again. Elliot followed, his nervousness palpable as the human's slowly made their way along the curvature of the lake over the next few minutes.

Ada had gone last, her fingers poking through the holes as Wendy moved ahead of her. Their feet shuffled, barely leaving the slick concrete as the duo watched the rest move onward. Marvin was already halfway, his face tense as the other officers did the same.

"I really hate this place" Ada cursed, her foot sliding along with a scrape as Wendy gave a subtle nod.

"Ditto. I would love a shower…a nice, hot shower" the girl reminisced, her voice full of desire for such a simple act.

It rushed up out of the water without warning, a mess of teeth and jaw as the alligator lunged at the two women with a reptilian roar. The teeth hissed through the air, followed by a putrid breath of rot and death as the two _felt_ how close it had been. It splashed down, barely missing them as their eyes bugged out.

"Faster…go faster!" Ada hissed, her heart hammering as she looked at the water. They were swimming close…hunting for prey as they watched with infected eyes of yellow and red.

"NO SHIT!" Wendy cried back as they redoubled their efforts. Their feet scampered and slid across the wall, barely gripping to the top.

"HURRY!" Marvin shouted from the opposite shore, the man on terra firma as he pulled the MP5 from his shoulder. Selecting single fire, he aimed at the gathering gators hunting the two women as Elliot and Rita hurried themselves.

"Come on you ugly bastards…" The Lieutenant whispered, his eyes unflinching as he stared down the sights. Would his gun stop these monsters from this distance? Probably not. But all he had to do was give the others enough time to hurry along that narrow ledge.

The water rippled near Ada and Wendy, a scaled snout poking above the brackish body of water. Marvin fried, the MP5 slamming against his shoulder as the empty brass tinkled and arced away. The bullet hit, gazing across the snout as the reptile thrashed. Firing again, he managed to strike the flank…but the damage to that singular reptile was minimal.

Elliot made it to dry land, the other officer scooping up his firearm as he lent his support while Rita and the others tried to hurry.

"Your almost there Rita! I'll cover you!" Elliot promised, he stance and body language stiff. Shifting his aim, he saw the water ripple in the center of the large pond, but it was distant from the fence and the others.

"You better!" the blonde retorted, her shoes sliding along the outcropping while tired fingers gripped the wiring. She was scared…terrified of the creatures before glancing back to Wendy and Ada. They were moving…hustling as fast as they could along the ledge of moss and slick algae.

"_I think there were three alligators at the zoo? Or maybe four?"_ Edwards couldn't tell as the reptiles kept disappearing below the light waves. Dusk was approaching…the heavily clouded sky blocking any sort of sun while a light drizzle of moisture fell.

Neither didn't see the second one rise up out of the water, its maw wide as rivulets of liquid ran down the diseased scales. A roar of hunger left its throat. Ragged teeth glistening with malice and death.

"NO!" Ada screamed out as she barely avoided the maw of razors, the mouth clamping down on the fencing mere _inches_ behind her. Sweat and fear left her pores at how close it had been…then the gator pulled.

"MOVE!" Wendy tried to say…but it was too late. The crosshatch of wire fencing ripped and tore, unable to bear the weight of the gator. Pulling it down, it curled…and both Ada and Wendy lost their grip.

"AHH-!" the young girl started to cry in fear and panic before disappearing beneath the murk with the other woman. They splashed heavily, forms vanishing as Rita left the ledge and joined the other officers on the shore. She had pulled her gun, waving it at the lake as eyes darted back and forth in a desperate search.

"Do you see them!?" She practically screamed, her voice cutting through the air as Marvin worried face grew deeper with a scowl.

"No…I don't"

'**BANG!'**

Rita fired, her aim picking out a reptilian target that was moving along the surface to where Ada and Wendy had fallen. It grazed the head, angering the gator in a blinding fury as it turned. Eyes were on the blonde woman, its hunger wanting to sate itself as it swam toward the shore. Williams backed up, her shoes crunching the gravel shore as the reptile started to walk out of the water. The mouth opened, a wall of teeth and dried bits of pink and red as it surged toward Rita. She fired, but the bullet grazed the hide as it shifted in the charging attack. Her gun barked twice more, the bullets flying into the open mouth. Teeth were chipped…gore bloomed from the gullet, but this only made it more determined as it doubled its scuttling walk across the loose pebbles.

"_SO FAST!"_ the woman instantly thought as she found herself pressed against the concrete wall. It was cool…and preventing further escape as the monster roared with infected desire.

'**TAT TAT TAT TAT!'**

Four rapid shots rang out, fired from Marvin as the older officer plugged the cranium of the deadly reptile. Bone chipped, dead blood flew as the lead bore through the brain and ended the necrotic gator. Rita stared at Branagh with thanks, the weapon still smoking from the barrel as the man aimed downward with a small nod to his fellow officer.

Wendy could barely see. The water around her was dark…murky. Dirt and soil had been continuously kicked up by the gators, limiting her vision as her blue hair hovered.

Something brushed past her leg…a swift body…and far bigger than her. She kicked on instinct, driving it away as her senses flared with danger. She was out of her element…surrounded by predators that had gone unchanged for millions of years.

A hand grasped her wrist, making her swivel her head in fear.

Ada…she had grabbed her and was pulling her toward the surface with kicking legs and haste. An alligator swam toward them, its maw widening to bite and tear…to kill them as its short legs swam with greater speed.

Ada let go, kicking Wendy away with a slender leg as the blow impacted the spot she had been shot. The girl lost air, the bubbles rising as the two separated…and the reptile swam past a brief second later.

Wong hated kicking the girl, but it was the only option she could think off. Eyes trying to see, she caught a brief stare from the slitted irises of the gator…red…bloodshot with the virus. It swam past, the side revealing a horrid furrow of a wound that exposed muscles and bone. Increasing her kicking, she hurried to the surface as dirty light shimmered from above as her lungs started to burn for air.

She burst above the water, taking a deep gulp of oxygen as her raven black hair pressed to her skull. Heart beating fast, Ada heard the water surge upward a few feet away.

"SHIT!" Wendy cried out, her lungs taking a deep intake of oxygen.

"THERE THEY ARE! HEY! BEHIND YOU!" Elliot practically screamed, his voice cracking as he tried to get a shot past the two women. The last two alligators were sliding through the water…regrouping to attack and drag the females down to the murky depths.

Wendy looked back, eyes blurry from water as she tried to clear them. Her fear returned…insidious and almost infectious as the attackers slid through the water with horrific ease. "Okay…swim! Swim for fucks sake!" the girl hollered as she kicked her legs. Her arms splashed into the water, a furious breaststroke giving her momentum as primal instincts reared their head. Her body was screaming…blood pumping in her ears as the ancient saying of fight or flight pushed Wendy's body to the limit.

"Don't state the obvious, Wendy!" Ada spluttered back as she swam like an Olympian. The crackle of pistol rounds flew over her head, impacting something fleshy behind her as reptilian roars bellowed. Something lunged down, creating a surging wave as dagger teeth missed her foot by inches.

"_Don't look back Wendy! Don't look back!" _the girl screamed to herself as another missed chomp of teeth hissed past a kicking leg.

"Your almost there!" Rita shouted at her companions as they kicked legs and limbs. Only twenty feet away now as she held her aim. One of the gators lunged at Wendy, but the officer was ready as she squeezed the trigger. The bullet flew over the teenager's head, flying into the deathly maw as the force threw it off kilter.

Marvin waded into the shore, his lips pursed with stress as he extended both hands to the women.

"UP!" he yelled as they clasped his extended palms. Pulling with surprising strength fueled by adrenaline, the lieutenant staggered to the shore with the two females. But he didn't stop as they ran with a stagger, breath hard and fast toward the exit door nearby.

"Williams! Edwards!" Marvin shouted as he pulled it open with a squeal of angry hinges. Glancing back as the reptiles left the water, he saw them shift and bob across the ground as Rita and Elliot ran toward the exit. Pushing a still gasping Ada and Wendy through, the officers poured through the archway before Marvin slammed it shut with a heavy clang. Pressing his back against it, the barrier thudded moments later as the blow vibrated through his bones.

"Ungh…uh…I've…never…swam that fast…before…" Wendy gasped, her breathing short.

"I woul…would've won…a damn…medal…" Ada breathed deeply, her hands pressed to her knees as the thoroughly soaked dress clung to her form. Looking up at the officers, she nodded a rapid thanks as the stress and fear of immediate death fled her body.

"Are you both alright? Any wounds or injuries?" Marvin asked with heartfelt concern as nearby animals screeched. The brush near the stairs of the observation deck stairs rustled…a low growl emanating from the undergrowth.

"Marvin…we should get up there…quickly" Rita hissed, her firearm raised to the bushes as branches moved.

"Right…you two get ready to move" Marvin told the two as he and Elliot inched forward with Rita. They were cautious…training and reflex kicking in of the possible threat. Wendy groaned, her irritation rising as she still tried to catch her breath.

"Dammit…never a fucking break" Rising to her full height, the girl's chest rose with the dirty and scratched armor. It had been…heavy to swim in. A burning of muscles and lungs. Grabbing her trusty bat, she gripped the handle tight as she and Ada moved toward the stairs by the brick lined path.

It split, one heading south toward administration while the right path would take them to the North Plaza…but it was moot for the moment as two zombified hyena's jumped free of the brush. Their snarls were familiar with the jaws open to bite at the closest women.

Ada ducked, the infected creature sailing over her head by inches as ragged fur prickled the invisible hairs on her arms. And Wendy…she had gone from tired and annoyed to furious in a split second. The girl swung, the metal bat giving a soft whoosh of air before connecting with the second animal. It cracked against the head, almost splitting it open from death as the hyena flew to the ground.

It lay still, the swollen tongue lolling out the side of the mouth as the teenager started to stalk toward the second that was rapidly turning toward Ada.

'**BANG! BANG!'**

Two bullets slammed into the side of its head, blowing away pieces of fur and skull as Marvin lowered his MP5 to the side. Empty brass hit the ground, revealing him as the shooter.

"Upstairs. Take a few minutes" he ordered. The man's demeanor was tired…exhausted from this hellish day as the group could only agree. Rapidly climbing the thick steps to the Observation Deck styled like a ranger station, the five pushed open the door. Flowing into the room, it was deserted of monsters, threats…or anything dangerous. A small counter and cash register lined the wall near merchandise, but it was silent. Across from it was a gun safe, the contents inside making Elliot grin with childlike glee.

Several binoculars sat on the wide, open air window sill, their purpose abandoned as Branagh brought one to his eyes.

"Gatorade! Thank goodness!" Rita smiled as she opened the running fridge in the corner near the sale counter. Snatching up some blue frost, the officer didn't waste a second before opening and rapidly drinking the contents of chilled blue.

"Definitely a worthy find" Ada complimented as she took a grape drink and helped herself. It ran down her fear dried throat…quenching the parch as Wendy drank Cherry lime with extreme satisfaction.

"The tram's there…past the locked gate. Looks like we did need those medallions after all…" Marvin frowned, the magnification picking up several people banging on the gate…but they looked…alive? One seemed to shout at the other few humans, then they ran…fleeing into the gathering night before vanishing from view. His frustration grew as he pulled the binoculars away. _"If only they just stayed a few minutes longer…We would've been down there to help"_

'_**Crash!'**_

The survivors jumped, spinning toward the noise as Edwards knocked loose glass from the case. Reaching in, he pulled out the Elephant gun like a kid picking out a new toy. Snapping the breech open, he smile grew wider as two shells sat inside.

"Dammit Edwards! Don't scare us like that!" Branagh scolded, his heart fluttering.

"Sorry Marvin…but damn! Look at this sucker!" Elliot preened. Sitting down on a chair, he lay it across his lap as his hands glided across the weapon.

Reaching into his side pouch after turning away, Marvin grasped an anti viral pill as Rita set a full bottle of crisp, cold Gatorade next to him. It was Strawberry-Cherry…a delicious concoction he drank greedily with the medicine keeping the virus at bay.

"Need to dry out my weapons…" Wendy muttered, her bangs pressed to her head as the stitches stung. Disassembling her firearms, she started to clean and dry the interior workings with a simple cloth that was found next to the register. Taking a sip of her Gatorade, she glanced up as Ada joined her.

"Not the typical visit to the zoo I wager…"

"No…not really" Wendy replied, her fingers moving on automatic for the weapon cleaning.

Ada had to admit…she was impressed with the younger woman's knowledge. Her hands moved on auto-pilot…never missing the beat. Something she's only seen in highly trained professionals.

"Who taught you to clean firearms?" the Asian woman inquired. Taking a sip of her drink, the full lips let the liquid pass as Rita and Marvin inventoried their own ammunition supplies with Elliot.

"My big sister, Sam. She's a soldier" Wendy replied automatically as she started to reassemble her pistol.

"Must know her stuff then"

"She does"

Snapping the magazine back in, the teenager kept the weapon in her right hand as the three officers finished reloading and counting.

"Everybody good?" Branagh asked, his gaze studying the four around him as he finished the drink. Tossing the empty bottle to the floor, all he received were light nods from his charges.

"Good. Then let's get the hell out of this zoo" Moving toward the door, he ignored the ever present throb of his bite wound. Walking swiftly down the stairs, he hid the pain as the five walked through the door they needed…and onto the North Plaza.

Trash littered the brickwork of the plaza, the water and light rain giving everything an empty sheen as darkness loomed closer and closer. A lamp-post flickered on their left, a half eaten body propped up against it…well, to the waist anyway. Whoever it had been, the upper torso was just…gone. Only a trail of entrails and chunks of torn viscera was left as the five ignored the corpse and walked past.

A burger bar loomed deserted on Rita's right, splashes of blood dried against the counter as moldy food gathered insects. Another body was slumped over the counter, a knife jammed into the side of her head to the hilt. A few wasps of hair had gathered near her open mouth…but nothing moved as the survivors moved forward past more tiny shops and kiosks.

"This place used to be thriving…kids and happy families having a fun day" Rita commented with a measure of remorse. Stepping over a pile of…rotten flesh that came from something, she darted her head to the side as a nearby howl raged from the zoo. It gurgled…hungry. But it was still somewhat distant as Marvin set a comforting hand on the distressed officer.

They had stopped near the large gate, the heavy steel barrier closed as the two Lion statues stood guard…with their missing medallions. Sitting regal and firm, they were a master craftwork that had stood for decades.

"I know Rita…Raccoon didn't deserve this nightmare. But we need to keep moving and regroup with the others. That helicopter will be here tomorrow…we need to be there before then"

"Yeah…yeah I know…Just I loved this place…it's awful what happened to all the animals here" She whispered softly. Taking a long moment with a heavy breath, she stood taller as she pulled the two medallions from her hip pouch.

"Here, I'll get the other side" Wendy offered, her hand outstretched for the lioness medal. Williams nodded, fingers handing off the object to the girl as she approached the King statue. Gripping it tightly, she slid the circular object into place.

A soft _click_ was heard, followed by a second one moments later from the far left.

The gates groaned…hissed with fatigue and stiffness as old mechanisms swung them open with agonizing slowness…and revealed the Tram car sitting on the platform fifty feet away. It was lit up…powered and undamaged as soft music began to play. Meant for children, the tune was joyous as the vehicle waited for new passengers to take them to the park.

"Finally!" Elliot said with a grinning joy as he started to move toward salvation with the others.

"You think you can really cure this virus in my body, Wendy?" Marvin asked, his spirits lifting after all terror of this place.

"I'll do my best, Marvin. I really will. Let's just hope that the hos—"

She was interrupted by an angry sound of a trunk bellowing from a nearby street. It howled through the air…and the heavy weight of its mass grew louder…louder…and louder with decreasing distance.

'_**Thump…thump…Thump! ThUMP! THUMP!'**_

"IT'S HERE!" Ada cried out in stuttered fear as Oscar rounded the far right street corner. His tusks had grown longer…more deadly as several sharpened branches of ivory jutted in random directions. The giant ears flapped with each step, torn and missing skin jumping as multiple wounds and scratches had torn his sides.

'_**NUUURGHHH!'**_

His trunk blasted sound...right before he barreled a truck out of his stampede. The vehicle flipped, sparking across the deserted road before crashing through a store window. Glass shattered, spilling across the darkened street as the five human's spread out.

"Don't get cornered!" Ada shouted as she ran back, the elephant charging across the plaza in pursuit of her life. She sprinted toward the gate, the infected animal running at a stunning pace. Gripping her gun, Ada dared to look back…and wished she hadn't as Oscar loomed closer.

Rolling to the side behind the Lion's pedestal and statue near the heavy wall that held the gate, she barely had time to breathe as the young mammoth collided with the sturdy brick work. Shards rained down into her wet hair…a dusting mixing in as it gave another angry bellow of rage. Scooting back as the trunk tried to wave and seek her out, Ada aimed her gun and fired at the prehensile appendage as exhausted adrenaline made her heart pound inside her chest.

'**BANG! BANG! BANG!'**

The stench of fresh gunpower was an afterthought as the bullets caused a miniscule amount of damage. Nowhere near enough to kill it, but enough to drive the organ away as it bellowed once more. Clomping heavy feet, Oscar turned to the other food in the area. Centering its diseased gaze upon Wendy and Elliot. He started to move toward the duo as they stood near an information stand as the Elephant gained speed.

Rita aimed, her pistol quivering as stress made her shake. The gorilla had been terrible…and the birds…and everything here. It was just a never-ending nightmare as she prepared to fire from the tram platform. An awning was over her head, giving a light respite from the light moisture.

Marvin slapped her hand down, the man shaking his head. "We can't risk him charging into the tram. It's our only escape. Now follow me"

The two ran, beating soaked shoes to the nearby street sidewalk. Raising weapons, both fired their pistols at the furious Oscar. The rounds bloomed against his flank, creating light impacts of cratered flesh among the gray hide…but he didn't even slow…or notice.

Thundering vibrations made Wendy unsteady, the ground trembling like an earthquake as she tried to aim at the charging beast. The laser light of her pistol wavered…barely stable as Oscar ran closer and closer. She fired, hoping to nail him in one of the bulbous eyes that were ripe with redness.

"Damn!" Wendy hissed, the slug snapping past the elephant before smashing into the side of an ice-cream stall. But even if she had hit the monster, Marvin's and Rita's efforts had been entirely ignored.

"Save your pistol rounds! You'll just waste them!" Elliot hollered toward the group as he pressed the long rifle to his shoulder. Peering down the sights as a nearby lamp-post flickered light in the fall of night, the officer squeezed the trigger.

'**BOOOM!'**

The gun spat flame, flinging the heavy caliber bullet forward as Elliot staggered from the kickback. Flesh tore and was sundered from the slug's passage on the left side of the grey forehead, causing the infected Oscar horrid pain. His head thrashed, moving side to side as he stormed forward toward his attackers. Knocking over a Mr. Raccoon stand, the beast charged without slowing. In fact, it was angrier now as it closed to twenty feet in a matter of seconds.

'_**RRRUUUNGHHH!'**_

"FUCK! ROLL!" Wendy screamed as she dove to her right. She hit the ground hard, the shaking stampede barely missing as breath left her lungs in a gasp. Struggling to stand, she found her hand taken by Ada as the two scrambled for distance.

Edwards dove left, his shoulder hitting the ground hard as the crazed Elephant stampeded right into the information kiosk. Papers flew among shattering beams, the wood splintering as Elliot rose to a stable knee. Aiming again, the rifle bloomed a second burst of gunfire.

The bullet tore into the exposed flank, causing damage…but not enough as Oscar let an animal scream resonate through the fallen night.

"Shit…" The officer cursed as he cracked the breech open. Two spent cartridges flew, spinning through the damp air as he reached for fresh ones. Sliding them in as the abomination tried to turn in the mess it had created, the man slammed the reloaded rifle shut.

Oscar had turned, his horrid gaze boring down on the policeman as he raised the rifle to his shoulder. He placed the tree-like limb of his right foot forward as a crosswork of torn skin shone in the night. A light flickered near the destroyed kiosk, illuminating the monstrous elephant for all to see. Tossing his head side to side as rage took over his senses, the tusks hissed and left trails through the air.

The force of footfalls lumbered…crushing shattered wood as stray sheets of paper fluttered against the dirty ground….then Oscar lowered his head to charge once more.

'_**RRRNNNGHHH!'**_

The sound pierced the human's ears, drumming like a horrid echo as thundering footsteps grew louder and louder toward Elliot.

"The zoo is now closed"

Elliot squeezed the trigger, pleased with his one-liner.

'**BOOM!' **

The rifle spat flare and fire once more as Elliot staggered from the blowback against his right shoulder. The aim was dead on however as the slug flashed through the air…and buried itself into the cranium of the diseased Elephant. A cratering of flesh and ruptured skin bloomed inward as bone fragments sliced through the air…and the rampaging beast collapsed to the plaza as momentum tried to carry him. Sliding a few more feet, he finally stopped a mere foot from Elliot as he stood up with the smoking gun aiming downward at his kill.

"Heh…I'm a badass!" Edwards preened with pride as he pressed the muzzle of his rifle to the dead creature's head. It didn't move…only laying still as the light drizzle of rainwater slid between the cracks of his hide.

"Great job, Edwards. Really outstanding" Marvin complimented, his hand grasping his side as his teeth clenched. Rita was trying to lend support, but he waved her off. "I'm fine…just need to rest a bit" he said in dismissal as Wendy approached and studied the older male.

"We need to get you to the hospital soon. You shouldn't even be moving around with that kind of wound anyway. If this was normal, you'd be confined to a bed for a week at least" Wendy stated as the stitches along her head gave a light flare of pain. It throbbed then receded…but she knew a proper rest would soon be needed.

"Then let's get on that trolley car. I'll drive" Rita smiled, her gaze studying the vehicle. Lit up like salvation as interior illumination pierced the darkness around them, it practically screamed _safe haven._ Resting below a large train awning that had numerous metalwork statues of animals on the supports, it was beckoning the survivors.

Taking a step forward as her dirty shoes splashed in a light puddle, Rita ignored the squishing sensation of her socks. _"I'm sooo finding dry socks!"_

'_**Thud!'**_

Something big had jumped on top of the platform awning, a low growl riding through the air as toe nails clicked on the galvanized metal surface. Two more growls came from the left past the destroyed info kiosk as padded paws clicked and scraped against the pavement. The light of the tram car illuminated them all as another growl rose from the leader's throat.

A lion stalked on the roof, his gaze eyeing the potential meals as his mate sauntered into the light with a cub…and a large, jaguar cat. They sniffed the air…padded feet barely a whisper as the king jumped down and joined them.

"This…this isn't good…" Ada gulped as she started to raise her weapon toward the beasts. The officers were doing the same, preparing to protect themselves as the large cats slowly encircled them.

But…Wendy noticed something. There were no wounds…horrid scratches on any of them. Their chests expanded and contracted with life as intelligent eyes studied the people in their gaze.

"Don't move! They're not infected!" Wendy advised, her words firm.

"No way! We need to kill them before they jump!" Elliot said louder, his fingers itching with fear as the rifle stayed grasped.

"No…if you attack one, they will all attack from multiple angles. Some of us might escape…but not all. And they're not infected…just survivors like us" Wendy warned once more as she took a cautious step forward. _"Don't show fear…they can smell it on you. Be the dragon and show your might"_

The king of the felines noticed….his amber gaze centering on the smaller human as she made herself known to him…to challenge his authority.

Aslan had kept his mate and cub safe from the sickness of the other prey in the zoo. And while he didn't like the Jaguar near his small pride, he had relented to Aslan's authority. And now that the large beast was dead, he could hunt once more… The human was staring at him…challenging his power as he came up to her. They could practically touch noses…his breath washing over his skin as his mate and cub circled behind the others…ready to strike.

'_**RRROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!'**_

Breath that had feasted on the dead crashed against the short human's face, a move that would make prey run and flee…so he could enjoy the chase. But she didn't move…instead, this human leaned forward with a gaze so steady he could only recognize it as one thing.

The gaze of a predator. A soft growl emanated from her throat, making Aslan stare back. And for a brief moment…he saw something greater than him in her eyes…Strength he couldn't match or fight. Aslan's eyes flinched for a moment…and he knew he had lost to a greater will.

Lowering his head, the lion king gave a soft lick to the human's cheek as he gave a light purr of submission. So long as she conducted herself…he would assent to the creature inside.

A low growl by the lion king had the other large cats stop…then back away as Wendy petted Aslan's head.

"Ohh…your just a big ol' softy cat! Don't worry, I'll help you find food for you and your fellow feline's!" the teenager said with a joyous voice as she started to walk toward the back of the tram car. Opening the sliding door, the fifteen year old stepped in...then was quickly followed by the large felines as they took up places of rest in the vehicle.

"W…what the hell? How did she make a full, grown ass lion back off!?" Elliot uttered in shocked disbelief as the others had watched the...illogical standoff play out.

"It's because cat's love me! Now get on you four!" Wendy waved from the doorway.

'_**Reow!'**_

"See? Super friendly!" the girl cheered as she petted the Jaguar behind the ears.

"Just…who the hell is this girl? Taming a lion with a stare? It shouldn't be possible…" Ada asked herself as the others shrugged. They really didn't have a choice at this point…unless they wanted to brave the streets once more. Catching up with a flurry of steps, Ada entered the tram car…and immediately noticed Wendy surrounded by the big felines at the back of the passenger compartment. They surrounded her…splayed out on benches as she petted the young cub with affection.

Marvin sat down near the driver's control, his gaze constantly moving toward the girl…and the cats practically guarding their new leader.

"Did she just become a pack leader?" He whispered to himself, the policeman's mind burning for more information on this strange…and very capable young woman.

Rita gulped, looking toward the back…then toward the controls as the rest of the adults took nearby seats…away from the feline predators. "Ah…I'll…get us moving…" She said in a fearful whisper. Flicking some switches, the blonde woman pushed the throttle forward. The tram jerked lightly…but it was minor as the powered vehicle started to roll down the tracks.

Petting the cub some more, Wendy eyed the burning car at the corner of the first street. Bodies were thrashing…eating at the charred contents as the flames danced in the early evening. Other fires licked at the skyline…but it was distant as more screams and gunshots rang through the open window on her left. The zombies feeding on the crash victims noticed the tram, hideous moans mixing in with the patter of falling rain. One staggered upward, but the trolley had moved on as the corpse stumbled and fell behind. Breathing heavily with relief, Wendy enjoyed the warm comfort of the cats as the female lion nuzzled up to her flank…and gave a light purr. Giving the queen a light pat, she promised to enjoy the short train ride to the next stop.

Rounding a right turning bend in minutes at a relatively clear intersection with just a few zombies gathered outside a building, the survivors left the zoo behind as infected animals hooted and screeched through the night air as light moisture fell on the dying city…

**Phew! Longer than I expected! I do hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter! And before you go jumping at me about the lions and his fellow cats, they won't be a constant thing. And as for why they aren't infected? They just happened to survive…or maybe they have an immunity to the virus? Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and leave some positive reviews! And personal note, happy birthday to me…THEHAPPY! 36 years dammit…I wanna be younger again.**

**Marvin: We really need to get more info about Wendy…**

**Rita: yeah…but she's been very helpful and brave. I don't think she wants to hurt or betray us…**

**Ada: Hmmph! Any body that tames a male lion with a stare and growl is just trouble. I'll keep an eye on her…and Jill better not have made a move against that hunk, Leon…**

**Elliot: You say something, Ada?**

**Ada: No. Not a thing!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	13. Leeches

**Hey Everybody! I'm back with another chapter of No Hope! If your all caught up, that last chapter was pretty much non-stop against the undead and infected of the zoo! But they all made it to safety…er…the tram? Yeah…it's safeish. And I would like to thank everybody for the birthday wishes. Granted, 36 years isn't that important, but thanks anyway! But, without further waiting, here is the next chapter! Which I don't own at all!**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 13: Leeches**

* * *

**October 1****st**** 6:58 p.m.**

Elliot looked out of the nearby window of the tram car, his face reflected in the glass as water droplets slid down. Body sore and muscles throbbing with fatigue, he felt the rumble of the wheel's clack along the track as Raccoon continued to die and burn.

A scream outside grasped his attention as he looked for the source. It came from a burning bus that had collided with a corner toy store. The lit up sign was still advertising toys in the shape of a blinking teddybear that cast neon oranges and green against the blazing bus like the devil's strobe light. Dead were beating against the side, infected hands curling and grasping toward the windows as another panicked shout came from inside.

Elliot watched intently as the emergency roof hatch popped open with a resounding _clang _before a man appeared…wearing the familiar chest piece of the R.P.D. The gloom was heavy, the night fallen, but Edwards did a double take. The messy hair…facial structure like a movie star as he gripped a .45 with a free hand. The distant officer was reaching into the bus, most likely to pull a fellow survivor upwards as the dozens of dead continued to beat and rasp against the public transport.

"Is that Ryman?" he asked incredulously as the tracked transport moved further away. More dead staggered along the wide street, trying to shift toward the mobile fortress as wrecks littered the road wherever they were abandoned.

Rita shot a look to her left, her eyes catching a glimpse of the officer pulling a shorter woman to the roof…but they moved out of sight as the distant survivors were left behind.

"It might have been…" The blonde whispered…then cringed her eyes. She had just run over three corpses that had walked in front of the trolley…and felt the light jump as their bodies were dragged underneath the chassis.

"Not like we could've stopped anyway…that street was crawling with the dead. In all likelihood, we would've been swarmed and probably killed by those numbers if we tried to stop and help" Ada retorted. Casting her almond eyes to the window, she watched more dead trying to march toward them…but failing as Rita kept up the speed.

"I didn't even think there were any other cops left in the city…especially Kevin" Marvin muttered lightly. Ryman was a good cop. Likeable all around, but Marvin had to reprimand him in May for sneaking a few drinks on the job. The incident hadn't re-occurred, but still… _"If that was you, Ryman…good luck"_

Settling further into his seat, Marvin employed to take it easy as Rita slowed for a rightward curve in the tracks. Technically the intersection of Donner Avenue and Manford Boulevard, most of it was a tangle of a massive traffic jam that had blocked off travel to their North and West. Cars were on fire…attracting the infected to the billowing smoke and crackling flames. Unfortunate souls had been caught…dragged to the pavement as ghouls fed on their corpses in the darkened street under lamp-posts. There was nothing to be done here as the trolley moved on…passing a group of school children feasting on flesh near an overturned S.U.V.

"Crap…this is just…" Edwards cursed exasperatedly as he looked around the trolley car. His gaze settled on Wendy and her…group of large cats in the back as the fifteen year old smiled while petting them. The Jaguar narrowed its yellow eyes, a light growly rising from the throat. Elliot turned away, his heart beat a little faster as he looked around for something to distract himself.

A back pack shuffled in the overhead, the straps hanging over the side. Shrugging to himself, the officer decided to check it out. Pulling the bag down, the zipper was pulled open as he peered inside.

"Well…that's surprising" He smirked as he reached in with eagerness.

"What is?" Rita asked from her place up front. The woman's eyes darted back and forth, studying the darkened buildings and the infected roaming around like nightmarish drunks.

"Ammunition. A box of nine millimeters and a few more shells for my new friend" Edwards informed the group as he opened the orange box with a grin. _"Twenty bullets…and four shells. Not too shabby"_

"Use those rifle shells sparingly Edwards. I doubt you'll find any more at the hospital" Marvin reminded the younger man as the darkened border of the park came into view. A few paths were still lit up…lined with benches as rain drizzled. He could see shifting shadows along the bike paths or moving over the grass by some trees…but he knew better.

"Hospital's coming up…and I think I see a barricade" Rita told them all, her eyes locked onto the ten story place of healing as it rapidly approached. Multiple floors still had electricity, soft light pouring from windows of different floors. A sign on a small lawn along the front near the building's parking garage still glowed, the words 'Raccoon General' flickering as ichor graced the large 'G'

Easing back the throttle, Rita slowed the trolley a few feet from the vehicle barricade as the silent sirens reflected off her skin. Blue and Red flashing lights strobed through the night air, pulsing like a staccato heartbeat as several police cars had formed a semi-circle around the entrance. A few large vans also took up part of the barricade, serving the missing defenders. Multiple corpses lay haphazardly around the semi-circle of cars, almost at random as light rain ran down dead eyes staring upward to the darkened sky. It was obvious that whoever had manned the barricade had tried to keep zombies out, their bodies laying still among spent brass casings and coagulated blood that sheened under burning street lamps.

"We should move fast. I don't see any infected, but it won't take long" Wendy suggested as she stood up. Red flashed against her hair as she stepped out into the light rain…not like it mattered with how soaked she was. Staring into the night, Wendy tried to squint as the park across the street loomed with evil. A few rasps could be heard in the distance…and they were getting closer. After all, a trolley car wasn't exactly stealthy. Gripping her pistol, she moved to the nearest police car. Climbing over the hood that was pressed against another cruiser, she found herself standing in the semi-circle as boots crunched broken glass and kicked away bullet casings. Looking toward the main doors, she saw they had been broken in as shards littered the entranceway…along with splatters of dried blood. A dead policeman was slumped over near the door, his wounds beyond lethal as an empty firearm rested near an open hand.

Aslan and his pride climbed over, their weight sinking the vehicles before they joined the young woman. She turned to him, her eyes steady as the four cats sniffed the air. The king looked at her, his eyes bright from the flashing lights as they locked in a light stare. They didn't even acknowledge the other human's climbing over…or the light cursing of Marvin.

"Mreoww…"

"It's okay…I understand. You have to make your own way for your family" Wendy smiled, petting the large lion on the head. He sniffed her hair…then gave a light lick of her hand with a small purr and rumble.

Aslan turned, his mane full in the night as the king made his way to a narrow alleyway along the distant wing of the hospital a few hundred feet away. An ambulance blocked part of the far street, giving a modicum of safety. The other three cats followed, their paws and nails clicking against the road before the group disappeared down the narrow path.

"Where are they going?" Rita asked with suspicion. On one hand, she hoped for the best…but she wasn't stupid. She doubted a fight between herself and one of those felines would play out in her favor.

"We had a small agreement to leave the zoo together as a sign of respect. After that, he wanted to lead his pride again. I hope they'll make it" Wendy prayed as Ada shook her head.

"You are a very strange, young woman"

"I know"

Hungry rasps filled the air, ending the moment as the five turned toward the source. At least a dozen of the dead had followed…homing in on the tram as they weaved and stumbled down the nearby street. A few more groans came from the darkened path of the park…but were still unseen.

'_**Thumpthumpthumpthump'**_

Marvin snapped his eyes skyward, recognizing the sounds of a helicopter. Narrowing his eyes, he finally saw the glowing lights of the aerial transport moving over the rooftops in the distance…and it was coming this way.

Marvin's radio hissed, crackling with light static as the man snatched it up.

"_This is RG-one! To any survivors at…ksshhk..the hospital…I'll be there in ten ksshhhkkk…I'm low on fuel…This is your last chance…"_

"RG-one! This is lieutenant Branagh! Do you read!?" Marvin shouted into the radio with hope as his eyes continued to study the distant chopper.

"_KKKShhkk! I…Skkkhkead you! Get to…shhkkkhoof!"_

It cut out after that…the static crackling and popping before Marvin silenced the radio. Glancing over his shoulder, the first of the dead were almost at the blockade of vehicles as they raised their arms to try and reach the supple humans.

"You all heard that? We need to reach the roof…and in ten minutes" Ada stated as Wendy walked past with Rita and peered into the lobby of Raccoon General.

"What about the others at the clock tower?" Elliot asked as the stunning woman shrugged.

"It sucks, but we have a chance to escape. I for one will not waste it. And for all we know, they never made it. So stay here if you want, but I'm getting on that helicopter" Gripping her pistol in two hands, the woman in red stepped over the threshold and entered the building.

"She does have a point…" Wendy muttered as she followed, her boot setting down near a severed hand.

The lobby was a shambles. Overturned chairs sprayed with blood and gore…scattered papers everywhere as a vending machine in the corner flickered. A dead nurse was on the floor near the front desk, her skin necrotic as a bullet hole graced the center forehead. Other bodies were strewn about, each one shot in the head by someone in the past. Ichor was spread across the wall near the elevators along the left wall…but they were blocked by piles upon piles of furniture. A hallway past the barricaded elevators led to the cafeteria down a long hall strewn with papers and garbage…sprays of blood before ending in double doors. They were chained shut, a heavy padlock keeping the cafeteria sealed as a dead man lay on the linoleum floor. He had…been mostly eaten. Intestines were spread out across the dirty tile as Rita looked away with a grimace of disgust.

Turning her attention toward the elevators, she couldn't see a way through. Tables and chairs…lamps and benches had been stacked up right toward the lift doors. Bullet holes graced the nearby wall, illuminated by florescent lights as the powered lifts displayed the current floor. Three and Seven were still lit…but who knows the state of those upper levels.

"That was either to keep the rest of the hospital safe…or to keep something in" Marvin observed as he glanced around the lobby for anything of use. He quickly gave up though, the officers hackles rising as several rasps came from the sealed cafeteria. Those insidious sounds were all he need to hear…don't go looking for hospital food.

"I bet you twenty bucks that cafeteria is full of zombies" Elliot said, his tone trying to be playful…but ultimately failing.

"It doesn't matter. We need to get to the roof, not eat crappy hospital food" Wendy stated harshly as she looked around…and studied the door past the nurse's station on the right. Practically straight ahead, it was partially open as Wendy started to take a step forward.

"I don't think so. I'll lead. You stay in the middle. I know your capable of defending yourself, but you're still a minor" Branagh instructed, his legs moving him past the girl toward the next room. He saw her trying to protest…but ultimately didn't bother.

"Lets just get to the damn roof" She agreed with a light huff. Nodding, Marvin pushed against the metal door…and pulled his hand away with disgust. Clear, slimy liquid was coated along near the handle…dripping down in a slow crawl.

"Gross" He muttered before pushing through, his mind forgetting about the strange substance as the five walked into the larger room.

It was a hall, shaped like a rectangle as crutches and abandoned wheelchairs sat near the closest wall. Blood trailed along the floor along the right, ending at a side door that led to an open office. The window had been smashed in, leaking darkness from the interior as shadows seemed to shift. The smell of fear mixed in with copper and death, making the five on edge. At the far end of the room a small sign pointed to the left from the ceiling, the soft red glow easy to read. The stairwell couldn't be seen though, as the doorway was tucked into a small alcove past the elevator shafts. Discarded hospital supplies and paperwork lay nearby, but none was useful. Vending machines stood in the far right corner by an overturned table as a headless corpse sat against the soda machine. Cans littered the ground, an attempt at looting the cola gone bad as dried ichor graced the small break corner. Flies buzzed…eating on the decay as one un-opened can of Dr. Pepper sat in the dried gore…lone and forgotten.

'_**STAIRS'**_

"Seems easy enough" Rita shrugged, her shoulders lightly rising…then almost hunching as a shadow loomed from the nearby office. A rasp…hungry made her gulp as the distant stairwell door gave a light shudder in the frame.

"You had to say it…" Ada cursed the blonde as she inched upward toward Marvin on squelching boots. Rita had ignored her, aiming toward the darkened office as she used the small flashlight on her pistol to illuminate the darkened doorway. A face appeared…peeling skin as the undead woman let out a snarl. Shuffling forward on a broken foot, the former nurse didn't get another moment before Williams fired. The round blew through the skinned forehead, blowing out the back in a bloom of red. The corpse crumpled to the floor, blocking the doorway to the darkened office as the officer breathed a light sigh of relief.

'_**CRASH!'**_

The door to the staircase burst open, the weight of bodies stumbling forward as half a dozen of the dead poured out. Unsteady gaits were familiar from the infected as they seemed to turn as one toward the human's. A male hospital technician took the lead, his shirt torn open as many horrific…suction wounds decorated his chest. There were dozens of the blemishes, but it was a moot point as Ada raised her weapon and fired twice.

Muzzle fire flashed across her face, reflecting in tired eyes as the rounds tore through the hospital workers cranium. Bone fragments and gore sprayed against an abandoned wheelchair as he collapsed, the zombie forgotten. The others moaned…rasped with cannibalistic desire as their feet shuffled and stepped over the fallen male.

"Dammit! We don't have time for this crap!" Marvin hissed out in frustrated annoyance. Pressing the MP5 to his shoulder as the flashlight trailed over the horrors approaching, the lieutenant dropped two more of the dead with an expenditure of four spent cartridges. They tinkled to the linoleum floor, clattering softly as Wendy centered the laser sight of her personal 9mm on the next closest infected. The head bobbed to the left as the jawless man gurgled, more of those horrific pucker wounds covering the exposed skin of his arms and neck. The teenager shifted her aim before firing. Bits of temple flew away as the body spun from the gunshot. Uttering a dying rasp, the former male dropped as Marvin and Ada finished off the last two zombies with a small expenditure of ammunition.

Silence reigned for a moment, the crack of gunfire still ringing in all their ears as Marvin waved the flashlight over the pile of bodies. None moved…or tried to shift under the lights glare as the police man lowered the weapon slightly.

"Enough of this crap. Follow me, we already lost several minutes" Branagh ordered with a hard command as he stepped over the first bodies. Swinging wide, the tiny flashlight burned into the darkened stairwell as emergency lights flicked on and off. Seeing no threat, he pushed on as the four followed his lead. Moving quickly…but quietly, the lieutenant led the way upward toward the second floor landing. More sprays of blood adorned the doorway leading to that floor, but he passed it without a second glance as they moved onward to level three.

Passing her own cone of illumination over the walls into the strobing darkness, Rita gulped as her gaze settled on…something sliding down the walls. It flowed in clumps…rivulets of slime and clear ichor with hints of blackness mixed in. It smelled…like rotten sewage, a stench that grew more vile the closer she got to the dripping source.

"Eww…what is this stuff?" She lightly asked with a shudder before turning away from the sight.

"Nothing good, I'm sure of that" Edwards muttered with a scowl as the other three reached the third floor landing. The two officers didn't take long to catch up, their sight downcast as Marvin cursed near the partially opened entranceway to the floor.

"Damn!" He shouted, his ire rising at the problem before them all.

"Probably the surviving staff and other survivors…trying to keep the dead away" Ada concluded as she studied the hospital beds, monitors, and other discarded equipment that sealed any further access upward. Blocking the middle landing between the third and fourth floors, it was stacked practically to the ceiling…and there was more of that stinky slime coating several spots.

A muffled gunshot echoed from above, accompanied by panicked shouts among the upper floors…then a few more rapid fire bursts.

"Survivors?" Wendy asked, her gaze looking upward past the sluicing slime and vile ichor coating the walls.

"Sounds like it. Maybe floor eight or nine?" Marvin pondered for a moment before clearing his head with a shake. There wasn't time for that now. The helicopter would be here in just a few minutes, and he doubted the pilot would wait around for them.

Forgetting about the distant survivors for now, the lieutenant pressed his shoulder against the entryway as more drips of slime clung to the metal surface. Flowing into the hallway of the third floor, his eyes almost burned from the illumination of the ceiling lights above. But dammit…he kind of wished it was dark.

"Okay…that's just nasty…" Ada grimaced as she lightly raised her weapon. Stepping sideways to make room for the others in the corner near the wall, Wong stepped in something…_soft._ Looking down, she saw the half crushed form of a leech underfoot as the insides had ruptured out.

"I guess we know where all that slime came from…" Wendy whispered in horrified disgust as she studied the surroundings.

A coating of slime covered the ceiling…the walls like an evil substance of satan. It dripped down…falling on Elliot's head and shoulders as the man tried to brush it off. But that wasn't all. Several of the nearby patient rooms had their doors sealed shut by _hundreds_ of empty sacs. They had split open…disgorging who knows what as papers and items from panicking staff lay around. A lone body lay halfway down the hall to the end of the building, her hands still clutching a broken crutch as sucker wounds covered the elder's body. Even if she had been eighty…the old woman had fought to the last breath.

The nurse's station ten feet away was covered with them…some even growing out of the body of a hospital worker as she was slumped over the desk with dead eyes. Some of the sacs still pulsed…the horrid life inside still growing. One of them burst open, a spittle of blackish pus flying across the dead woman's cheek as a leech slithered out…and down out of sight.

Elliot thought about making a light quip of slimy things…but decided against it as the third floor just seemed to…_pulse_ with the tiny monsters. And to be honest, he thought something was watching them all.

Another few rivulets fell on Rita, causing the poor woman to cringe and swipe at the ichor. She wanted to gag…to just loose whatever food she had, but she quelled the urge as Wendy moved past her around the corner to the elevators. Her boots squelched each time, a crushing of dead leech or something else as she pinched her nose.

"Ugh…seriously?" the blunette complained as a honeycomb of sacs covered the left most elevator that had halted on this floor. They had piled into the corner on top of a wheelchair bound person…His or her form could still be seen, but any chance of life was long gone. Past the twin elevator doors was another hallway stretching off further into the hospital as more of the vile coating graced the walls among splatters of dried gore. A distant zombie could be seen at the end of the west wing, beating on a door mindlessly with a hungered rasp…but they were too far away to draw attention.

Wendy discarded the horror, her finger pressing the call button for the lift as small specks of slime slid down the panel. Wiping her dirty pants, she didn't want any of that stuff touching her.

Humming machinery and shifting cables surge to life, the powered elevator starting to drop from floor seven as the five waited quietly. There really wasn't much to say at the moment as Ada looked at the others with a small grin as a few precious minutes ticked by.

"Almost there…a way out of this hell" she said with a hint of warmness.

'**CLANG!'**

A ceiling grate halfway down the west hallway clattered to the floor, a thunderclap of noise that drew the attention of the five in a split second. Weapons raised, all five stared with rising dread as the air duct above shuddered.

It slithered through…a movement that just screamed _wrongness_. Leeches flopped and fell to the floor, some rejoining the larger mass as it crouched…then slowly stood. The form writhed and pulsed with hundreds of crawling leeches squirming and flowing as it took a lone step forward. No face or discernable features could be identified….just leeches.

"Oh…oh god…" Rita gasped with horrific fear as it took another step closer. It was finding its stride now, the footsteps wider each time. She wanted to run…but her feet refused to move as the pulsating horror squelched and shifted down the hall toward the living humans.

"KILL IT!" Wendy cried out in rising horror as she switched firearms. Taking a planted stance, she leveled the .357 at the monstrosity.

"No shit!" Elliot cried out as he aimed over the large rifle's sights. Pulling the trigger, the long rifle spat flame as the large slug hissed through the air. It hit center mass, blowing over the leech man onto its back as dozens of the crawling vermin were killed. Underneath, a stained doctor's coat was seen under the electric light…but was quickly hidden as more of the slithering forms gathered and flowed.

Starting to stand up, the abomination coiled back an arm from twenty feet away…then snapped it forward. An extension of the parasites flew along the stretching limb…then crashed right into Elliot's chest.

"GAAHHHGH!" The man cried out in pain as he fell backward. The rifle cluttered away, his fingers losing the grip as the policeman coughed and wheezed. Some of the tiny creatures clung to his shirt, trying to find purchase to feed.

"Ahh! Get them off!" Edwards panicked lightly as he tried to brush them away. Wendy was there though, her hands grasping the squirming horrors as she flung them away. Some slapped against the wall, sliding down as Ada, Rita and Marvin fired downrange.

"How do we kill this thing!?" Rita screamed out, her gun jumping as the bullet merely stunned the approaching nightmare.

"I dunno!" Marvin bellowed back as he looked around for anything that could slow it down.

'_**Ding'**_

The elevator arrived, the doors sliding open near Elliot and Wendy as safety beckoned.

"UP! GET UP!" Wendy urged the man as he breathed heavily from the recent blow. Groaning as he scooped up his rifle, the officer staggered into the elevator as Wendy held the door open.

"GO!" Marvin urged, the man already turning his back as he practically pushed Ada and Rita to the open doorway. The monster seemed to sense the human's fleeing…despite the lack of eyes as it surged forward.

Wendy watched Marvin pass the threshold and stepped back, her finger rapidly smashing 'roof' as the leechman flowed on horrific steps. _"Come on! Come on!" _Wendy screamed in her head, her eyes never wavering from the grisly sight approaching as fear fueled adrenaline started to pour through her veins like ice. Some of the leeches flopped to the tile floor, slithering through the closing doors as the monster reached with a stretched arm.

The doors slid shut just in time, the creature's appendage slapping against the metal exterior with a horrifying thud. The rectangle interior of the lift shook, causing the gurney against the left wall to shift on squeaking wheels.

One of the slugs left a trail of slime across the polished flooring, homing in on Rita's foot as she took a cautionary step back.

'_**Splat!'**_

Marvin stepped down, crushing the vile thing as bits of red flew out from under his dirty shoe. Wendy had taken care of the other two slugs, her boots squelching from the gristle.

"What…What in the fuck was that!?" Ada gasped, her core shaken from the refreshed horror. Gripping her weapon so tightly that the knuckles started going white, the Asian female wasn't sure she could survive all these abominations rampaging throughout the city.

"A monster…something that will haunt my nightmares…" Rita whispered as the elevator started to rise. Trying to steady her nerves, she breathed deeply of the sterile air as the others tried to calm themselves from…whatever the hell that thing was.

"Edwards? You alright?" Marvin asked with a sheen of fear emanating from his body.

"Ugh…un..yeah. Bastard hits like a hammer though…" the man groaned as he leaned against the wall. Trying to grasp his chest, the man breathed heavily.

Ada watched him for a moment before looking away as the numbered lights on the panel ticked off. "How much time do we have left?" She inquired as the woman gripped one of the hand grips along the side.

Rita looked at her watch…the blonde woman's eyes falling as the lift passed floor seven. "None. We're past ten minutes now…"

"The helicopter might still be there. He won't just sit there for a few seconds and leave" Marvin tried to reassure as Wendy scowled in the corner.

"That pilot better not. I am not dealing with…some fucking leech man running around in this hospital" She promised herself as the machinery started to slow. They had arrived at floor ten…and salvation was just beyond these doors.

They opened swiftly, the scent of rain and mist greeting them all as thundering beatings of rotors kicked up a breeze. The helicopter was across the roof on the pad, it's landing skids barely hovering over the concrete of the painted 'H.' Hazard lights surrounding the barrier of the building blinked red, a slow glow as Marvin moved like a man possessed toward escape only a hundred feet away.

"HURRY!" Branagh shouted, his hands still gripping the MP5 as the five started to sprint with shoes and boots thumping like anvils against the surface. Several dead bodies lay about the roof, most likely deceased zombies as the group ignored the corpses and empty casings.

Ada pumped her legs, brown eyes locked on a distant police man picking up a six year old girl. The child was African American, pressed into the waiting arms of the presumed mother waiting in the craft. More survivors were already crowding the interior, dirty and tired as the officer stepped up into the helicopter. Streaks of blood covered his face, a matting of gore in his hair as an MP5 thumped against the grimy blue of his uniform.

"NO! WAIT!" Wendy cried as the distant officer looked back with sorrow in his eyes. Shaking his head, the male said something to the pilot…and the craft started to rise. Looking back at the five once more, he reached for something in the crowded cabin before tossing a small bag onto the roof. Ada still tried to run…to reach salvation as she extended a hand to the heavens…but nobody took it.

Rita could've sworn she heard the escaping police man say _'I'm sorry_' but the hammering blades drowned out his voice. The side door slid shut, barely accommodating the people inside as the helicopter rose and turned. Pressed eyes at the windows looked down at the five…regret and shame in their tired pupils as the vehicle moved away from the hospital…and flew off into the distance.

Wendy sank to her knees, her palms pressed against damp concrete as she breathed deeply. _"No…NO! ESCAPE WAS RIGHT THERE! RIGHT THERE!"_

"DAMMIT! FUCKING HELL!" She cried, her palm beating against the material below as her heart broke. They had been so close…and fate had crushed their chances. Beating it again, she cursed once more as her friends became downtrodden and depressed.

"We were so close…" Rita whispered, her spirit taking a major blow. Watching the flying vehicle disappear to the north past tendrils of smoke rising into the darkened night, she wanted to cry.

"Everyone…even if we had arrived in time, that chopper was full. No matter what, none of us were getting on that bird" Marvin stated deeply, his voice almost cracking in disappointment. Looking at the small bag tossed from that other officer, Branagh stepped over and picked it up. A sound of unzipping slew the air softly as the Lieutenant peered inside.

Three full magazines for his sub machine gun jangled inside next to a flashbang and fragmentation grenade. Another magazine of 5.56 bullets was with the stash, but were useless to them all at the moment.

"At least they gave you some ammo" Elliot commented after he studied the contents, his face grim as mist flowed through the air.

"I guess…wait, there's a note" Branagh informed them all as he pulled it out, the parchment damp in the air as red lights along the edge blinked silent warnings. Squinting his eyes in the gloom, Branagh found himself surrounded by the others.

"Well? Don't keep us in suspense. This day's already been shitty enough" Ada griped as she scowled. _"I should've ran faster…left them behind or something…damn this city"_

"Alright, alright" He replied a little shortly, his voice snapping before he started to read.

_Dr. George Hamilton _

_September 24__th_

_A man came in with a horrendous bite on his left arm. Reported attack by a 'crazed homeless bastard' _

_He died six hours later then resurrected by some unknown means. An orderly was killed by the patient before he himself was shot by a security guard._

_September 26__th_

_More and more patients keep arriving with either bites on extremities or pallid skin. The staff is almost overwhelmed trying to care for those in need. Several nurses complained of 'leeches' falling from vents on floor three. Just what the hell is going on?_

_September 28__th_

_The city is in flames. Riots are rampant through the streets as the dead seek out the living. Several police officers arrived to try to keep the hospital running, but I fear their efforts are futile._

…_My god, the living dead. It should be impossible…but I've seen it far too many times during these past few days. Half my staff is gone. Either dead or undead. The other half have tried to barricade the exits and the floors over-run with…the zombies. _

_September 30__th_

_The hospital was attacked in force by the undead. At this point the survivors have barricaded themselves in the upper floors with the assistance of the remaining officers. But…something is hunting us. A…leech man that seeks us out. _

_Doctor Gary Morton was attacked by countless of those leeches while saving nurse Briscombe. She made it to safety…but the screams of my comrade as those things feasted…it haunts me. _

_I've armed myself with a crutch. I know it's not much, but I've never fired a gun before and would be more of a hindrance with a firearm. We've barricaded floor nine against the horrors in this hospital as our remaining helicopter flies out full loads of survivors…I really hope the fuel lasts before then._

_I captured one of those strange leeches. It's abnormally large, almost the size of a kitten. But despite the mutation, I can safely say that it is drawn to warm blood…and is very susceptible to heat like a normal leech. If only we could reach the reach the 'Fixed Temperature Laboratory' in the basement and draw that creature in…I think several hundred degrees would be enough to kill it. Unfortunately, I lost my I.D. card on the seventh floor during the panic._

_October 1__st_

_I'm with the last group. Officer Dorian has gone above and beyond in keeping us alive. Even after some of the dead broke through the stairwell, he and that older security guard, Mark kept them at bay as we fled to floor ten. I am relieved that they made it, but still…I thought I heard gunshots coming from the first floor. If its other survivors…it's too late. The helicopter will be at full capacity with all of us. I hate to say it…but we have to think of ourselves now or nobody will escape this hell. _

_If anybody is reading this…stay alive and escape._

_Doctor George Hamilton _

"So…if we can trap that thing in that temperature lab, we can kill it?" Rita asked, her spirt not daring to raise hope.

"Sounds like it. And if we can do that, I might still be able to help Marvin" Wendy explained lightly, her skin rising with goosebumps as moans danced on the breeze. A man's scream echoed through the night from several streets away, but nobody was inclined to try and find out where. Odds were, he was dead anyway.

"What happens if you can't?" Elliot asked with skepticism. To be honest, he didn't think Marvin had much of a chance. Not that he wasn't glad the lieutenant was still alive, but the odds of him surviving the virus that had killed this city were…pretty non-existent.

"Then I'll make sure he doesn't come back before then. Still, I find the claim of this girl curing this virus laughable" Ada stated with even hostility.

"Won't know until I try" Wendy shrugged as her eyes scanned the skyline. The old clocktower stood directly to their south, merely a single street away past winding alleyways that were hopefully deserted.

"No. See. I think your full of shit. If seasoned doctors couldn't cure this thing, then what chance does a little bitch have? And even if you can…and that's a big if, that mean's you knew about it already. Hell, you've been hiding something this whole time. Not only from me, but everybody here" Ada claimed, her eyes boring into the blue haired girl as she glared back.

"That's mighty big talk from a Fed who abandoned a minor in that hellish basement back at the station. Fuck, you don't even act like a cop" Wendy finished with dripping anger as she turned to Marvin. "You want to know what I'm hiding?"

"It would ease our minds a bit. After all, you have…unusual skills for somebody your age. And if you can cure this infection coursing through my body, you'll just raise more questions"

"Fine…I'll tell you. But after we reach that clock tower. Until then, just trust the fact that I'm just trying to keep everybody alive. Now shouldn't we go search floor seven for that damn I.D?" Marching away toward the elevators as mist clung to the chilled air, the teenager could be heard grumbling. _"Thanks I get trying to help…god-dammit…"_

"Kid's got a point…we do need to get out of here…" Edwards muttered as he took the frag grenade from the bag. Ada had taken the flashbang, slipping it into the sidepouch on her left hip. Branagh had taken the generous magazines, storing them away for future use before looking back at the fifteen year old.

"_Is it right accusing her of hiding secrets? She'd saved my life…fought through a nightmare that's killed veteran officers. Shit…I feel like garbage mis-trusting her, but she just raises too many unknown's" _Shifting a gaze out of the corner of his eye, he studied Wong as the woman in red watched the teenager like a rival feline. _"Might have to keep an eye on Ada too…If I live long enough to do that"_

Feeling the bite pulse with pain, Marvin knew that the virus would eventually find a way past the anti-viral pills he was taking…then it would be game over. "Let's just find that damn keycard" Stepping forward, he headed back toward the elevator as more undead cries filled the night air…

**Floor Seven**

* * *

The metallic elevator doors slid open with barely a whisper as the five braced themselves for the unknown. Darkness loomed ahead in the hallway, the power barely functional as lights flickered on and off like a seizure. The stale stench of medical chemicals tainted the air…along with the coppery smell of dried blood. A sign dangled from the ceiling, the arrow pointing right toward the distant Emergency Room while another arrow pointed left toward 'Critical Care' Tendrils of slime dripped down, slapping toward the tile below.

Stepping out, Marvin led the way, fanning out to the left with his MP5 raised and pressed to his shoulder as his heart raced. The flashlight on his weapon stabbed the darkness, revealing two partially eaten bodies on the floor. Dried ichor coated the nearby walls, arcing near abandoned medical equipment and gurneys soaked with copious amounts of gore.

It had been a place for critical patients, a large hall lined with beds that had once seen nurses and doctors attend those straight from surgery…but now it was a tomb. A shadow shifted behind a curtain a good fifty feet away near some double doors…doors that had been blocked with beds, boxes, and anything that could be found. Marvin knew the emergency stairs were behind the elevator, but he doubted they would be clear of more debris as he checked the left for immediate threats.

A rasp spiked in his ears, horrifying close as he started to spin with haste.

"The Emergency Room should be our—" Ada started to say as she stepped out past the doors. Icy fingers of a dead woman grasped her shoulders, the putrid vileness of rot and death spilling from the infected. The former house-mom opened her mouth of disease, the teeth vile and putrid as cracked fingernails dragged across the exposed arm.

"AHHH!" Ada screamed, her training barely managing to twist her right arm as tracks of claw marks were cut across the skin. Crimson started to flow as the lurking zombie bayed and snapped, hunger in its dead eyes as the woman braced her freshly wounded arm under the necrotic skin. Ada didn't even care that intestines were spilling out, slapping against her boots as she grunted with exertion. The others were clamoring, trying to get a clear shot as they looked nervously around. Some of the other dead bodies were twitching, trying to rise from the floor despite their half eaten state.

"I don't have a shot!" Rita cried, her distress palpable as she attempted to aim past Ada's head. The zombie kept trying to bite the woman, the teeth clacking mere centimeters from flesh as Wong used all her strength to prevent her demise.

"Ugh…dammit!" She tried to mutter as more groans and cries of hunger echoed from distant rooms. Her arm throbbed…the raked skin burning as death assaulted her nostrils.

'**BANG!'**

The zombies head snapped to the side, a billow of gore spraying along the wall from the headshot as Wendy lowered her firearm. A single casing clattered to the floor, tinkling in silence as tendrils of smoke rose.

Ada breathed deeply, her eyes locked onto the young woman that just saved her life. Heart racing, she gulped lightly as she rose her arm to inspect the damage. It throbbed, a trio of shallow scratches across the beautiful skin as her fear rose. _"Am I infected…?" _

It felt like death had gripped her soul, clenched tightly as Rita looked at her with…pity. It wasn't a bite, but odds are Ada just became infected with the virus burning through the city.

"Better hope I'm not full of shit, huh Ada?" Wendy uttered as she turned away. Walking up to the downed zombie on the floor, the fifteen year old eyed the ravaged body. It was obvious others had fed…ripping into the body cavity as it snarled. Extending the stumps of ruined arms, it was almost pathetic as she finished it off with three swings of her baseball bat.

Stepping away, she was preparing to kill the second wriggling body as lights flickered above. Wendy could hear the others rapidly searching the nearby hallway, their footsteps squeaking against the tile. Rita was whispering to Ada about something, but Marvell really didn't care at the moment.

"Wendy…leave them. They can't even walk after us" Marvin ordered as he watched the young woman. To be honest…he felt like shit for what Ada said on the roof. Then she goes around and saves the life of the woman accusing her of secrecy.

"Can't argue with that…" the girl said with a sigh as she idly glanced down at the snarling corpse. To say it was a grisly mess was an understatement as it tried to squirm and crawl. Muscle tore…sliding in the darkness as the zombie separated from the lower half. The light flickered on, showing a dreadful trail of intestine as she stepped back.

Something dripped onto Wendy's head. A droplet that slid through her blue hair as she looked up…and gulped. The air vent opening was dripping with slime…a clear liquid that fell as a few slugs emerged from the darkness. Stepping back, she barely avoided the leechman as it dropped to the floor with a heavy thud. Starting to stand only ten feet away as more of the writhing life forms slithered and crawled, Wendy knew firearms would only slow it down.

"Don't just stand there! RUN!" Elliot cried out as he grabbed the teenager's wrist and pulled her away. A swiping tendril of the arm hissed past her back, slapping against the wall as the monster started to stagger after them.

"Find the Emergency Room! We might be able to barricade it!" Ada shouted as she started to run with Rita. Looking back, the creature was a literal nightmare of leeches and parasites. Running faster as the flickering lights strobed between illumination and darkness, all the woman could feel was fear and dread.

Rita ran, her pulse pounding as the commotion seemed to wake the entire floor. A door thudded on her left, the body inside throwing its weight against the simple wood as the echoing rasp hollowed in her ears as she ran past.

Marvin huffed, his legs and body just aching from the constant running as the ceiling lights flickered above. Cradling the weapon, he tried to keep the lead of the others. Plopping leeches graced his ears, a constant reminder of what pursued them. A simple glance back told him all he needed to know…it was still chasing them. A mess of wriggling horror.

Spinning while running in a backpedal, the lieutenant fired from the hip as he squeezed off a short burst. The report and gunfire flashed in the hallway, illuminating the abomination as three slugs clipped it in the side. Some of the parasites screamed, a sound that would never be forgotten as the tiny corpses flew with sprays of blackened ichor.

"DAMN!" Marvin cursed as he resumed running, his hopes dashed as the leechman hunted them down the hall.

"Just keep moving!" Elliot urged, his face contorted in stressed fear. He gripped the rifle, contemplating an expenditure of rare ammunition…but the officer knew this thing would recover.

'_**CRASH!'**_

A patient room door on the right shattered open, the paneling cracked and useless as two of the dead started to limp and stagger out. Both wearing hospital gowns, it was obvious from the bandaged wounds on their exposed arms how they had turned. The lead one turned, jaws slack with diseased eyes reflecting back light as Rita raised her service pistol from mere feet away.

Two shots rang out, blowing through the bridge of the nose before the woman ran past with increasing dread.

The second grasped the air, trying to reach Wendy with clawed hands as it snarled in the darkness. Fingers raked the air, missing the girl by inches.

"UNGH!' Marvell exerted, her swing cracking against the dead woman's face. It wasn't enough to kill…only to stun as she sprinted faster with a cautionary glance back. The Leech man launched an attack, the arm stretching far too long for her tastes as she veered to the right along the wall.

"OUTTA THE WAY ELLIOT!" the teenager screamed as she barely got the warning off. The insidious appendage jutted between her an the policeman, stabbing the air while some of the virus laden parasites fell free….others almost flew from the thrashing arm as the others kept running.

Something landed on her left shoulder…wriggling and homing in on her exposed neck as she gasped in horror. Wendy didn't waste a moment. Grabbing it, she hefted it as wriggling flesh and slime coated her left hand…then threw it a wall with a light 'splat' as she hurried to keep her distance from the monster chasing them.

"There it is!" Ada shouted, small rivulets of blood flowing toward her right wrist as she pointed ahead.

The emergency room was located on the left, the double doors partially open as shattered glass graced the floor like dead diamonds. Shadows seemed to shift and dance, the constant flickering of lights a taxation on their eyesight. A dead doctor was slumped against the wall, his body a horror of suction wounds as he held a makeshift weapon.

And past him…it was a dead end. Another barricade of hospital mattresses, gurney's, life support machines…anything that kept this part of the floor separated from the Eastern part of the hospital.

"No choice! Inside now!" Marvin barked as his lunges heaved. Shouldering the door open, the metal smacked his bicep as the police man turned and urged the others inside….not like they needed much encouragement.

"It's right behind us!" Edwards yelled as he pushed Wendy through roughly. The girl staggered, almost falling to the floor as hungry rasps and infected throats grew with excitement. The dead emergency staff had been inside…bitten and turned as they started to home in on the survivors.

"Rita! Wendy! I could use your help!" Ada screamed in a voice laced with crackling stress. Aiming down her sights at the closest doctor, the Asian woman fired as the pistol flashed flame in the trembling light. It punched through the throat…not a kill shot as the former surgeon snarled from the warm flesh before him. She fired again, dropping the doctor as she shifted aim to the next zombie near the operating table. The throat had been torn out…a ragged wound from dead teeth as the deceased patient struggled against restraints on the table itself.

"I got the left!" Wendy cried out, her pistol already stabbing a beam of red light through the gloom. It centered on a female nurse…someone that would've been pretty in life…but was nothing but a corpse now. She squeezed the trigger, the firearm jumping in her hands as the bullet tore through the brain.

"ELLIOT! GRAP THAT PIPE!" Marvin hollered, his back pressed toward the double doors as the creature beyond surged to enter. They buckled, almost bowling the lieutenant over as his fellow officer scrambled.

Snatching up the object, Edwards was distinctly aware of the zombies in the room, but would have to trust the ladies to take care of it. Sliding the metal object between the door handles, it did the required task as Marvin looked around. A rolling monitor of equipment was to his right…and a perfect way to reinforce the door.

"Help me with this!" Marvin ordered as Rita dropped the fourth doctor, the blonde woman beyond frayed as Ada gave her attention to the last infected form in the room.

"Got it!" Edwards complied, his body already moving to assist. Straining muscle, both men made short work of tipping over the machinery to block the door as the leech man tried to reach them with its extending arm.

The equipment crashed, forming a light barricade as Ada finished off the last zombie.

"Quick! Get this table over there! Never mind the dead guy!" Wendy commanded, her voice fearful as she started to shove against the weight. The zombie snapped at her, the head restrained by bands of leather. If it had been because of surgery…or experimentation after death, she couldn't tell…or care.

"Hunnghh!" Rita gasped, her feet trying to dig against the tiled floor as she pushed with all her might. Another slapping appendage of leeches slashed the air from the broken window, but it wasn't long enough to reach as the three women grunted and exerted force.

"I…I Really hate hospitals!" Ada groaned as the table slid toward the growing pile of the barricade. It screeched and cried with scrapping material…but was finally pushed into place by panic fueled muscles.

Forgetting about the strapped down zombie, the five stepped away from the double doors as the Leechman seemed to screech with annoyance. Trying once more to reach them from the hallway, the monster lost a few of the virus laden creatures as they started to slither and crawl over equipment.

"That won't hold forever. We need to get out of here" Ada observed as she clutched the wounded arm with her other hand. It throbbed…the gouges almost three inches long as she imagined increased heat from the zombie attack. Gulping, her eyes studied the doorway…as gathering zombies trying to push in as it buckled. Arms were reaching in under the flickering lightbulbs, the skin pale and ravaged by cuts and bites. Hungry snarls were ravenous, mixed in as more of the slithering parasites crawled over the barricade.

"Search the room…and quickly!" Marvin urged as the lights flickered on and off once more. Casting his eyes around, he finally saw the horrific state of the E.R. as dried gore slicked the floor. A fight had occurred here with empty syringes, broken bottles of medication, and abandoned surgeon tools laying about. A few bloody handprints decorated some of the cabinets, the individual prints telling a tale of death among the deceased surgeons.

Wendy was doing her utmost to ignore the baleful cries of the undead merely thirty feet away as Elliot kept a wary guard. More zombies were gathering…a tiny horde easily reaching a dozen. Scanning her eyes away toward the Eastern wall, she spotted a rolling cart near a large ventilation duct set at the base of the wall. The grate was gone…tossed to the side as darkness loomed from within. _"That might work…it's large enough…"_ The teenager concluded as she started to ransack the cart.

Wendy didn't find much. Just a half roll of gauze and a flashlight. Turning it on, she had to smack it a few times before the bulb stayed lit. Crouching down, she peered into the vent as the zombies surged again. Something scrapped against the floor…the weight of bodies slowly winning against the pile of equipment.

Slime dripped down as she looked in. It ran along the galvanized metal sheet…coating the interior. But, there weren't any bodies blocking the pathway between room's.

"Anything?' Ada asked, her words hollow as she continuously gripped her pistol. Blood had collected at the muzzle point, slowly falling as the Leech man grew even more excited by her bleeding.

"It's clear. Now let me wrap your forearm…or you going to call me a bitch again?" Wendy said evenly as the dead cried beyond.

Ada held her arm out with a regretful sigh. She was a mercenary…didn't like owing anybody anything. And here she was, possibly infected with a nightmarish virus that would turn her into a zombie with possibly the only person that could help her…and she had accused her of…who knows what.

"Wendy…"

"Save it. You're a bitch. All I've done is try to help and you just give me shit. So shut the fuck up and let me bandage these scratches. Oh, and if you do turn, I will put you down"

Rita heard the conversation between the other women…but it wasn't her place to say anything. Time was scarce and the dead wouldn't stop trying to get in. Searching along the nearby countertop, the sink was partially full of…watery blood as flies buzzed. The stench was awful…but not new as she used her flashlight to search.

The operating table screeched slightly, the zombies pushing against the door with the unholy nightmare still trying to gain entrance.

Rita's heart skipped a beat, the fear palpable as something reflected back, the lamination buried under a few maggots as she peered closer. Brushing them away with her gun, she picked it up as the E.R. doors thudded again. A few more zombies had joined the parasite monster outside, their dead eyes watching the human's as they sought to enter.

Picking up the keycard, her smile grew at the find. A small picture of Dr. George Hamilton stared back, his access card ripe for the taking.

"I found the keycard!" Rita said loudly, her smile pushing past fatigue as Marvin nodded.

"Good work, Rita" he complimented as the door's and barricade shuddered once more. Brown eyes watched the monsters…and one of them looked back as more of the leeches slid over the zombie strapped to the table. "You said that duct was empty?" he asked while hurrying past Wendy, the girl finished with the first aid.

Stooping down, Branagh peered in as the table scrapped again. Waving Elliot over, Marvin's face was a crease of worry. "Go first Edwards. Then you ladies. I'll cover the rear" he ordered, the issue not up for debate as the zombies tried to surge again. More of the parasites were now slithering down the sides, the advance periodically disturbed by the undead pressing against the buckling barricade.

"You better be right behind us, Lieutenant" Elliot said before settling to his stomach. Sliding forward, the policeman started to crawl through the narrow passage.

"This slime is disgusting…" he whispered as the vile substance clung to his clothes and hands. Inching forward with the rifle, he made it through to the next room before climbing out of the duct. A patient's room devoid of any life, the police man saw just two beds and nothing else. The door was ajar…leading into a darkened hall beyond as he took a crouch with the rifle aimed at the exit.

"It's clear!" He whispered loudly, the voice traveling through the stale air. A rustling of clothes and light cursing moments later had Wendy emerging, her blue hair like velvet in the darkness. She stood up, giving a terse nod to Elliot before moving toward the doorway. Taking station, she peered out as Ada came next.

"Dammit…" The woman cursed lowly, her voice pale as crimson soaked through her new bandage. Standing up in the room, she hurried toward the exit as Rita crawled through next with relief on her tired features.

Marvin watched Rita disappear into the darkness of the air duct, his face showing a bit of relief as he lay down to crawl himself.

'_**CRRASSH!'**_

The door finally buckled, the press of undead winning as the operating table tipped with a resounding clang. The infected poured in, their unsteady feet trying to pick past the ruined hospital equipment as the Leech man climbed over on its search for warm blood.

"Time to go!" Marvin urged as he scooted forward, his heart pumping with adrenaline as he crawled through the vent. A zombified patient homed in on the crawling man, cutting up necrotic feet on shards as it snarled. Dropping to the floor, it reached for the foot…but missed as the human disappeared. Grunting with annoyance, the dead man flopped to the floor as more of his fellow infected gathered around the opening. Reaching diseased arms in, they tried to gain entrance among the tangle of dead.

"They're right behind me!" Marvin bellowed as human hands reached for his. The officer didn't bother looking back as he felt warm hands grip his and pull him through. And for a moment…he thought something brushed his foot as Rita and Elliot pulled him upright. The short blonde wanted to ask if he was alright, but Marvin waved it off.

"No time. Lets get to the basement and kill that leech bastard" Marvin ordered with a hint of dread as snarling grew louder from the floor duct.

"Don't need to tell me twice" Edwards smirked as the five poured out into the hallway. It was a mess…a morgue of remembrance as papers lay on the floor. To their immediate right was that ceiling high barricade blocking the hall that was still standing. To the left…darkness as the lighting had completely failed.

"There should be another staircase at the end of the East Wing. We reach it and hopefully can get to the basement" Marvin told the group as he took point, the flashlight of his MP5 pushing away the gloom as they moved with deadly silence.

Wendy kept quiet breaths, her boots making light footfalls as she followed Rita. The two officers were like beacons of light, the cones revealing the destruction among the halls. Keeping a tight grip on her bat, she was hoping to take out any lurkers with silence as they moved past hospital rooms. Some were barricaded from the outside…others left open with rotting entrails on the floor. And others? She could _hear _the sounds of tearing flesh…of feeding behind closed doors as the five hurried along.

The corridor abruptly ended, the doorway to the Eastern stairwell propped open by a body. Maggots crawled…feeding inside the empty eye sockets as the corpse lay still. A knife was jammed through the ear canal, preventing reanimation as Ada stepped over the legs. Glancing toward Wendy, the teenager was silent. Just the sound of her light breathing and rustling body armor gave her away as the five moved down the stairs with rapidity.

"Another barricade…" Rita whispered lowly, her flashlight eyeing the pile of computers, bedding and file cabinets that prevented further progress past floor five.

"No help for it" Elliot shrugged as Marvin cracked the door to floor five. Light poured in, casting shafts of illumination as the five stepped out into the new hallway. It was a mess just like the rest of the hospital. A place that had obviously fallen with several offices on either side. Partly administration, the five started to proceed as the light bulb's burned their eyes with harsh light.

A rasp sounded, echoing along the walls from a conference room on the left. It had probably looked nice once…nothing but glass walls and windows to see in. Problem with that was most of the glass was gone. Shattered as gore dripped among the shards with easily two dozen zombies inside…and they had spotted the humans. Administrators…accountants and lawyers. They had all been killed and turned with one still clinging to his expensive briefcase. Starting to flow around the large conference table, the men and women let out a continuous moan. They surged, bites visible on some as one of the women grunted. A broom handle stuck out of her chest…but failed to kill as diseased eyes locked onto the teenager.

"Nope. Fuck that" Wendy said as she turned, her legs already pumping for fresh speed as the adults did the same.

"I'm getting sick of running, dammit" Elliot breathed, his lungs craving rest.

"Then just tell those zombies you want a break! I'm sure they'd listen if you said please!" Wendy shot back as they sprinted. The zombies were chasing them…stumbling and staggering down the hall in pursuit of flesh with mournful hunger.

"We just need to reach the elevators again! They should be about a hundred yards ahead!" Rita gasped, her own heart pumping with the footfalls echoing through the deserted hospital. _"Why can't we catch a break!"_

Marvin grit his teeth, the running making the sewed up wound on his side cry in agony. He should be resting in a bed…not running for his life from undead cannibals. But not just him…they all needed to rest. To sleep and recoup their strength from constantly running…of fleeing for their lives.

Ada turned her head, eyeing the shambling horde pursue them down the hallway as she ran for all she was worth. They were a horrible sight…the torn flesh and dried bits of gore dripping from slack jaws as the humans continued to run past closed offices and patient rooms. If they held supplies…or just the dead, they didn't have time to check as the distant elevators loomed closer and closer.

Wendy reached the doors first, her fist literally punching the down button as the indicator lit up. Stepping away as she switched to her pistol, the others gathered around with the dead only fifty feet away…and closing faster than expected. Raising her firearm at the lead zombie in a tattered suit, the blue haired female lined up a shot. A red dot appeared on the former man's forehead, dancing between the eyes as the five formed a firing line.

"**Bang! Bang!'**

Marvell fired twice, two slugs snapping through the air with cordite stink wafting up her nose. The lead corpse dropped from part of the head being blown away as a tangle of limbs tripped up three more of the undead.

"I swear…I'm never stepping foot in a hospital again!" Rita cried out as her own fire arm jumped in clammy hands. The shot went wide as the zombie stumbled, the effect harmless as the bullet embedded in the left breast of an older woman. Marvin and the other two adults fired, the flashes of flame leaving the muzzles as a few more undead were taken out.

Branagh pressed the MP5 to his shoulder, the stock hammering against his muscle as he squeezed off another burst with brass arcing away. An office clerks head snapped back, two rounds boring through the eye hole with gristle and bone spraying against the nearby corpses. They had only killed six or seven…but still over a dozen remained as they shuffled and gasped with hunger toward the survivors.

"Come on you damn elevator…hurry up!" Edwards hissed out with growing fear as Ada dropped another body. She was looking pale…a little flushed as the bandage on her arm grew redder.

'_**CLAANNGG!'**_

The policeman spun, his eyes wide while snatching the rifle to his shoulder. It was a tight grip…the hands steady as the Leechman fell from the ceiling with a horrific plop of parasites. Fifty feet away down the opposite hall to the West, it looked even more nightmarish in the bright lights. It squiggled…squirmed as individual slugs fell and slithered across the nearby tile…or rejoined the monster as they left clear slime trails across the floor.

"SHIT!" Edwards cried as he pulled the trigger of his rifle.

'**BOOOM!'**

The report bounced off the walls, echoing in his ears as the heavy caliber munition erupted from the muzzle on a wave of flame. It struck the leech covered abomination, destroying dozens of parasites as they cried and writhed on the floor. Stunned, the horror staggered backwards on unsteady feet…just as the doors dinged open.

"IN! GET IN!" Ada screamed, her stance at the door with Wendy and Rita sprinting inside. Firing into the horde, she winged the temple of a doctor as the body spun. He regained footing, snarls erupting from a lipless mouth covered in dried gore. The remaining corpses continued un-hindered as they continued to close the distance to fewer than ten feet.

Marvin and Elliot ran into the large lift, their faces a strain of stress as the Lieutenant roughly pulled Ada inside.

"Come on…come on!" Edwards pleaded to fate, his finger mashing the button to the basement with untold haste. The doors started to close, a squeal of rolling machinery as the zombies started to converge with drunken gaits. One lunged forward with a rasp, the arms extended as it felt gnawing hunger spurn it on toward the closing elevator.

'**BANG!'**

The sound echoed off the enclosed walls, reverberating in ringing eardrums as Rita stood with her pistol smoking. The lone brass cartridge hit the floor just as that zombie fell backward from the door…that closed just as the Leech Man shoved its way forward. Machinery hummed…rattling above their heads in the shaft as they started to travel to the basement.

"Ugh…my ears…" Elliot cringed as he tried to shake the ringing from his head.

"Good…good shot" Wendy complimented as she stuck a finger into her left ear, trying to disrupt that annoying humming. Ada slumped against the wall, strands of loose hair dangling past her almond eyes as she tried to remain composed. Her arm itched…burning from the scratch as she solemnly looked at it in silence.

"Here…take one" Marvin offered the woman in the red dress as he held an anti-viral pill in his hand. Taking it, she mumbled a soft thanks before dry swallowing it.

"I really hope the basement is empty…" Williams prayed out loud, her hope in tune with the others as the elevator clicked and hummed past the floors.

"We're all hoping that" Wendy replied as their ride settled…and the doors slid open to reveal the hospital basement.

Dingy light illuminated the beige painted brick walls as the smell of dust and must assaulted their senses as the five stepped out. Weapons were raised…each one darting for threats as they looked around. A janitor's closet was across from them with a cart of cleaning supplies that would never be used.

The telltale echo of dripping water was heard, but the survivors didn't pay it any mind as they stood in the center of the corridor. It extended left and right by about a hundred feet respectively with a few closed doors lining the walls.

"Stairs" Rita pointed to their right, the woman studying the sign and fire extinguisher at the end of the hallway.

"Doubt we could use them anyway with how the staff threw up barricades everywhere" Elliot observed in a pessimistic tone. Leaving the exit way alone, the five started to walk down the left hall. The first door they passed proclaimed 'Generator Room' but seeing as the corridor still was lit with electricity, no one bothered.

"I hate this silence…it's un-nerving" Wendy complained, her pistol gripped tightly as they approached the next door on the right.

"I know the feeling…" Marvin replied as he gripped the knob and pushed. The door remained locked as the card reader next to the handle burned with a red light.

"Here. That note said this keycard should work" Rita mentioned as she swiped it through the reader. The red light turned blue with a small 'click' echoing.

Marvin tried again with a small, sheepish grin on his lips.

It swung easily, oiled hinges not making a whisper as the small laboratory revealed itself. A few computers still hummed on desks, but sprays of dried blood across one of the monitors left a hint of copper in the air. Across the room was a medical refrigerator, the shelves stacked with blood bags for testing as it hummed contently.

A doorway to the south was left open, gore spread across the surface as the five studied the room. But aside from the refrigerator filled with transfusion bags, nothing was of use.

"Edwards" Marvin ordered, his head nodding toward the next room as the two men walked cautiously. Stepping over the dried blood pooling on the floor, Marvin immediately saw the body laying face down. A research doctor or technician, the normally white coat was a ribbon of torn gore and pucker wounds.

Nudging the foot, the corpse didn't stir as Elliot moved toward the window set into the wall above the control console. Right next to another door, he peered in with a squint. The room was almost gray in color, the walls cracked with years of heat testing as a ventilation vent decorated the ceiling. Heating coils lined many surfaces, separated evenly among the walls and ceiling as they sat silently in their housings.

"I'd say that's a makeshift furnace" Wendy mentioned from the door as she held a blood bag in her hands. Starting to walk forward, the girl felt herself stopped by Ada as the older woman relieved her of the plastic bag filled with crimson.

"No. You stay here"

"I'm fully capable of drawing it out"

"Just stay back you stubborn bi—"

'**CLANG!'**

The grate dropped like an anvil, tendrils of slime and fat slugs falling to the floor...then the Leech man itself. It was fast this time, making it to the control room door in brief moments as it loomed in the doorway. Parasites writhed and wriggled…their hunger almost felt by the humans as it turned toward them all.

"Crap!" Ada yelled in frustrated anger as the monster stepped into the room. It launched an arm swing, the vile limb cutting through the air as some of the leeches flew free.

"Hngh!" Rita gasped as she tackled Wendy to the ground, the swipe hissing above her head as a few of those vile things started to crawl toward them. Marvin and Elliot dove, the enclosed space meaning they landed next to the corpse on the floor…and it stank.

Ada gripped the blood bag…then sprinted past the crawling nightmare into the temp room. Ripping it open, she flung it to the concrete as crimson flew from the thrown force. "HEY! FRESH BLOOD!"

The leeches stopped…halting their approach to the warm humans…then turned and staggered into the room. Falling to its knees as the overpowering scent made it forget of the living food, it started to feed on the crimson liquid.

Ada ran out of the room, her legs pumping as she slammed the door behind her and threw the lock.

"BURN IT! BURN THAT THING!" she cried out, the toll of today making her exterior break.

Wendy scrambled to her feet, twisting the temperature knob to max…then slamming her palm against the start button.

The coils heated…jumping to hundreds of degrees as they began to glow red hot all around the locked room. The leech man noticed, its body standing erect as it surged toward the thick glass. Slamming into it with a resounding 'thud' the parasites began to scream as the heat boiled their insides. They fell…flopping and writhing on the ground as more and more died from the brutal temperature.

In a minute it was over, the creatures dead and shriveled as the body of a doctor revealed itself on the floor. Shutting down the coils, the heat began to rapidly fall as Ada unlocked the door.

"Is it dead?" Rita inquired as the other two women walked cautiously toward the corpse.

"it better be" Wendy scowled before rolling the ravaged body with a boot. The arms flopped like ragdolls while hundreds of leech bites covered the skin. Slime covered the coat that was now a horrific mixture of brown and red.

Stooping down, Wendy eyed the keycard clipped near the hip. Pulling it free, she read the inscription.

"_Head Surgeon Gary Morton. Restricted Access"_

"Huh…you officers know about this?" Wendy asked as she stood up, her hands wiping away some dust as the three shook their heads.

"Can't say I do. But it has to be good for something? Maybe in the elevator?" Marvin suggested.

"Couldn't hurt to check"

Walking out of the room, Wendy led the way as relief filled their hearts and minds. They managed to kill that abomination…now they just needed to find a way to make a cure.

Entering the elevator, Wendy scanned the button panel…and found a narrow slot to the right. Sliding the card in, the doors slid shut as the five felt the lift lower….and pass the sub-basement of B-2.

"I though that was the lowest part of the hospital?" Rita observed, her body vibrating slightly from the travel…or the shuddering stress.

"I guess not" Ada replied. The Elevator stopped, the doors sliding open as a brightly lit hallway of polished tile and white walls greeted them. A familiar symbol of red and white was decorated across from them along the wall as Marvin stepped out.

"Umbrella? Under the hospital? How did they manage that?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they owned the whole building" Wendy said evenly as her dirty boots clicked across the floor. Walking down the hallway, they passed a few offices, but they were neglected as the teenager homed in on the double doors at the end.

Pushing them open, the five were greeted to a high tech laboratory of centrifuges, state of the art equipment and countless apparatus. But…along the right side of the room were several liquid filled tubes larger than a man…and they weren't empty.

"What…what the hell are those things…?" Rita whispered in fear and horror as she took a step back. Bumping into a table, she tried to steady herself.

They floated in the blue solution, bubbles rising past closed eyes. Their skin was an off green and scaled like an amphibian. In fact…they were almost froglike. But only if you ignored the fact the monsters were six feet tall and sported tipped claws that would put wolverine to shame.

A total of four slumbered, monitors slowly beeping as Elliot slowly raised his large rifle.

"I wouldn't do that. Right now, they're sleeping. But if you fire, they could wake up. I for one don't want that since this lab could hold the means to cure Marvin and Ada" Wendy cautioned, her eyes darting to the Asian woman that was an off-white pale.

"Yeah…you have a point…" the police officer murmured as Wendy walked past and started inspecting the equipment.

Nodding her head, she turned to Ada and Marvin while clapping her hands. "Alright. Let's see if I was spouting bullshit or not. Ada. Marvin. I'm gonna need a blood sample from both of you"

"Sure thing" sitting down nearby, Marvin didn't complain as he watched the girl pick up a syringe.

"What about us?" Rita asked, her eyes constantly darting to…whatever those frog things were across the lab.

"Search the offices…get some rest. This might take a while" Wendy waved as she drew the blood before waving Ada over to start working on a cure…

**October 2****nd**** 2:13 a.m.**

* * *

Wendy's eye's sagged with fatigue and exhaustion as she sat at on the stool. Slumped over the table as the incubator hummed nearby, the future doctor rubbed her closed eyelids from the brightness of the computer screen as she tried to stay awake.

The research had been…mind-numbing to say the least. Formulas and cell strands…flaring double helixes that she had to go over at least a dozen times as earlier attempts failed. If it wasn't for the fact that a cure to this virus had already been seventy percent complete…Wendy would've had to kill Marvin and Ada. The simple truth was…it would've taken countless days. Maybe weeks to develop it otherwise.

Turning around on the seat, the blunette silently watched the slumbering beasts…which thankfully had not woken. They were still under heavy sedation according to the monitors near their vats.

"_Those are hunter's in the tanks. I think Natsu fought some once…god I'm tired…"_

The incubator dinged softly with a light turning green on the side above the readout. Sliding open, a panel revealed four vials of bluish liquid. Taking them with tired hands, she slid them into her pouch before picking up an ampoule shooter from the table.

Standing up, she trudged toward the double doors as her head throbbed. The stitches hadn't come loose…but staring at that screen had been a trial. Pushing them open, they swung easily as the fifteen year old passed through.

And a few brief moments later…**Hunter 00-3 **slowly opened its eyes as the claws twitched among rising bubbles.

"You look awful kiddo" Rita teased lightly, the blonde woman standing guard in the hallway. Leaning near the open doorframe, the other three adults had taken naps during the night in shifts…and to periodically check on the girl.

"Yeah…I want to sleep for a week…on a pillow of clouds…or warm cupcakes"

Rita give a warm chuckle, her mirth calming as Wendy stepped into the doorway. Loading the first vial into the shooter as Marvin stood up from his chair, he gave a knowing nod as Ada and Elliot still slept on the floor.

"Is that the cure?"

"I…I hope so. I tired to plan for anything unforeseen in the genetic make-up, but until I inj—"

'_**CRRAASHHH!'**_

The sound of shattering glass snapped Ada and Elliot awake, their hands already grabbing for weapons as Wendy spun. She had retrieved her .357, eyes wide with fear as more sounds of breaking glass and spilling liquid came from the lab.

"Elevator…now!" She whispered harshly as the fatigue was forgotten for the moment. Adrenaline spiked once more…flowing through her veins as an inhuman shriek came from the closed doors of the lab. Stepping backwards as the others started to run down the short hall, Wendy turned and ran with Rita as another wail filled the air. It made her skin chill…rise with goosebumps as the hair rose.

Boots and shoes beat down the tile, the flight silent as Ada reached the elevator first.

The double doors slammed open, the heavy blows echoing down the hallway as Wendy turned on her heel near the elevator.

It was a genetic nightmare at the far end. Muscles rippled…flowing with forbidden power while rivulets of liquid flowed between the green scales. Beady, yellow eyes squinted at Wendy while the nose flared. The hunter bared its teeth…a deadly horror of knives in its mouth as the long arms dangled with equally sharp claws.

The creature took a step forward…then started to coil its leg in a squat as it prepared to jump.

"FUCK THAT!" Wendy cried out before turning and running into the elevator.

'_**SSSHHHHRRRIIIIEKKKKK!'**_

The hunter jumped, the head almost scrapping the ceiling as it tried to catch the fleeing prey. Luckily for the human's, the door was already closing as the monster landed a dozen feet away. It howled in anger once again as it tried to reach the human's, but the cry was cut off as the lift started to rise toward the sub-basement.

"How…how could those things be under the hospital?" Rita asked her friends, the woman almost pale. They had been lucky… if they had woken while in that lab…or at any other time, some of them might be dead.

"I don't know Rita…I don't know" Marvin said evenly as the elevator stopped at the sub-basement. Sliding open, the stench of sewage and rot assaulted the five as Elliot groaned.

"Please…not the sewer again…" he complained as the five stepped into the mildew heavy air. Water dripped, but aside from a few abandoned sewer worker tools and forgotten construction cones, nothing moved in the corridor that stretched out below old bulbs to the left.

"Maybe we can find a ladder to the surface?" Rita asked hopefully as the others sighed in annoyance. Even if they found a way up…they would still have to traverse that vile liquid.

"Well…before we do that, lets see if I'm as smart as I think I am"

Pressing the ampoule shooter with the cure to Marvin's exposed left bicep, she squeezed down as the man hissed in light pain. Pulling away, it left a circular mark as the girl reloaded a second vial.

"So…that's it?"

"Hope so" Wendy replied as she gave Ada the same treatment. The woman eyed the mark, a small nod of thanks in her eyes…then wandered to the pouch on the girls left hip.

"_Does she have more? I bet a cure would be very valuable to the highest bidder…"_

"Alright. Either I'll stay human or not. Just make sure to put me out of my misery before then. Now lets find a way out of here" Marvin urged, his shoes clicking along the concrete as he held his MP5 tightly as the others started to follow toward the nearby sewerline.

**The Alleyway behind the clock-tower 2:48 a.m.**

The manhole cover slid to the side, iron scrapping along pavement as the deserted alleyway loomed with darkness. The dirty door to the building was slick with rain while a dead body leaned against the wall. The lack of a head made it harmless as a back light burned under the awning.

A head appeared seconds later…looking for danger before hauling himself upward. Staying in a crouch as he aimed the elephant rifle into the darkness, Elliot waved up his comrades as undead wails carried in the night. The skyline glowed…buildings burning as Wendy and then Rita appeared.

The blonde officer moved toward the door, knowing it was their salvation as the clock tower stretched into the night like a gothic spear. Turning the knob, it clicked open as Rita moved in with professional swiftness.

Wendy followed, her hands still clutching the .357 as the stench of sewage water clung to her pants. Nothing had been down there in the sewer aside from a few dead leeches…but the smell had been horrible. And she was tired…so fucking tired.

"It's clear" Williams whispered as her pistol rigged flashlight illuminated the way.

"Good" Wendy quipped as she rubbed her eyes. Hands shaking from exhaustion…burnt adrenaline and a day of terror, she tried to keep it together as Rita walked forward across dusty floorboards.

They creaked…a wail of ancient nails while the other three adults slid inside before closing the door.

The hallway turned right, a ninety degree corner that Rita swept wide. "Nothing. Just a door" Walking forward, it gave her entrance as it opened to the main hall of the old building. Valuable artwork lined the walls as multiple doors led in different directions. But there was no sign of Leon…or Jill…or anybody as the five started to fan out under the chandelier.

Wendy's eyes blurred…her stance unsteady as she staggered forward on legs burning with exhaustion. She had pushed herself beyond the limit…and now she was crashing. The girl wavered…barely on her feet with the last ounces of energy ebbed away.

The door to her right creaked open, a hiss of hinges as she tried to raise her weapon to guard against whatever it was. It opened fully, revealing a blonde woman in dirty, burgundy pants as she held a shotgun at the ready.

Allyssa stared in disbelief at the five…dirty, exhausted, and beaten survivors…and let out a small smile.

"You made it? You all made it?" she asked as she turned to Wendy with a sense of joy and relief…and the girl collapsed.

"WENDY!" Ashcroft cried out as she ran over, her joy snatched away as Rita started to check for some hidden wounds. Finding none, she pressed a finger to her neck.

"Her pulse is strong…I think she must've passed out. It's…been a nightmare since we got separated" William's explained to Allyssa who nodded in complete understanding.

"Help me get her to the church. You can fill me and the others in" the reporter ordered as Marvin picked up the young woman with tender care. Looking down at her young face, the officer promised then and there he would keep this girl alive. The girl who was braver than ten men…who fought…and conquered her fear…and who asked for nothing by trying to save his life.

Her head lolled, hanging loosely as the lieutenant walked slowly, following Allyssa and the others to the nearby chapel as relief filled their hearts.

"We made it…we made it to the clock tower. And in a few hours…we can escape this hell" Ada whispered in hollow joy as she followed the others to rest and safety…

**And done! Longer chapter than I expected! But how did you like that leech man? Pretty pesky, right? Now before you ask…I did think of having them fight the Hunters. But dammit…they needed a break. So I just had them make an appearance…for now *EVIL CACKLES***

**Still, if your familiar with the games…I'm sure you can guess who stops by next chapter. Or maybe not? Who knows!**

**Still, I hope you all enjoy and give some positive love for this story and chapter!**

**Ada: FINALLY! I can see that sexy officer of mine!**

**Jill: Ahem! He's mine. First dibs**

**Elizabeth and Claire: YOU CAN'T CALL DIBS! **

**Wendy: Shut up! I'm passed out you lust filled bitches!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	14. No Escape

**Hello! I'm sorry for the long wait concerning this story! Got sidetracked by "Shifting Through Realities" And 'Dragon of the Cog' so if you've been waiting a long time…sorry. But! I am back with another chapter with our survivors! Not exactly sure how long this chapter will be, but I'm sure certain events will transpire at the clock tower…**

**Anyway! I still don't own any media! So…**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 14: No Escape**

* * *

**The Chapel October 2****nd**** 3:00 a.m.**

"Oh god! What happened to Wendy!?" Cindy cried in a soft shout of worry as she stood up from the pew. She had been keeping watch with Claire over Sherry and Pepper, the two innocent lives trying to sleep…but finding it fitful. Lips giving a light tremble of worry and relief, the waitress watched as Marvin carried the unconscious girl through the chapel's doors. Her head was lolling side to side…and they all looked like they had waded through hell.

"She passed out. It's been…a nightmare since we were separated" the lieutenant replied with an almost fatherly tone as he walked carefully to an empty bench. The distinct sound of the door being closed by Jill and Leon drew his attention for a split second, but it passed as he set the teenager on the wooden pew.

Claire moved, grabbing an old blanket from the old lost and found before quickly stepping up to Marvin with purpose. "Here"

"Thanks Claire" the policeman said in sincere thanks. Folding it, he placed it under her head…and once again eyed that horrid stitching across her temple. The fact she fixed herself up was a testament to her will and strength to survive. Watching the blue haired young woman breathe softly, he slowly parted the bangs covering her eyes.

"Mr. Marvin?"

He turned to see the now awoken Sherry holding the brown Chihuahua, both seemingly wracked with concern. Her greeting had been soft, and it looks like she had managed to clean herself up a tiny bit since he last saw the young girl.

"Yes Sherry?"

"Can I stay near Wendy? Pepper wants to help too"

Setting a hand on the girl's shoulder before scratching the dog on the head, he gave a sure nod.

"I'm sure she would love that" Standing up as the child and dog settled in on the same pew, Marvin stood as his knees clicked. He was tired…exhausted, and he needed to sleep before the helicopter showed up later that day.

"Lieutenant? What happened after that monster attacked the tram?" Leon inquired. Sitting next to Jill, the S.T.A.R.S operative spoke up as well as the others gathered around. She made sure that Allyssa or Elizabeth sat somewhere else, not inclined to deal with their light glares of jealousy toward her and Leon.

"And your bite? We all know we can't allow anybody with the virus to leave Raccoon…it could devastate the country or world if it got out"

"Jill's right. I know you and my brother were fellow officers, but we're going to be watching you as most of us sleep"

Marvin knew their questions and concerns were well founded. Walking toward the small steps at the altar, the older officer sat down with a groan of fatigue and aches. At least, it seemed his bite wound seemed to be…_cooling off_? Yeah, that seems right as the normal burning of infection was rapidly fading. Letting out a weary sigh as he set the Mp5 down next to him, he braced his elbows on his knees in a bid to get comfortable.

Casting a concerned gaze at Rita, the woman had laid down in a pew near the front as he watched the gathered group look his way. Her eyes were already closing, the blonde officer simply using her hands as a pillow as fatigue grasped her. Elliot had curled up near the small organ piano, the elephant gun leaning upward as the tired officer succumbed to slumber.

"I'll explain everything everybody. Just don't interrupt too much. I'm more tired than an old bag of dusty bones right now and don't want to or feel the need of repeating myself"

Getting a few light nods and assenting noises, the lieutenant started to retell the tale of what happened after the Birkin attack. Marvin's words were heavy as he retold the story of their crash and the subsequent fleeing from the undead hordes into the zoo. Fighting and running in fear of the horrifically mutated denizens of the former place of entertainment. The gorilla…the hyena's and a the zombified elephant that was once Oscar. Infected birds and plants…how Wendy and Ada almost drowned and were attacked by the crocodiles. The lieutenant even went over how Wendy stared down a duo of lions, their cub, and a Jaguar to join them on the connecting tram car to the hospital.

"She…really stared down a full-grown male lion? After you fought Oscar the elephant?" Allyssa asked in a tone of disbelief…and respect. Most people would have run or panicked…but she somehow achieved a stare down with a deadly predator after a fight across the zoo.

"Damnedest thing I've ever seen. Not only that, but they…surrounded her to protect her on the trolley while we stayed up front. And Rita says she saw officer Ryman pulling a survivor from a bus along the route, but I missed it" Marvin informed them as he unleashed another weary sigh. "Then…we arrived at the hospital"

Claire was listening intently, her buttocks firmly planted on the pew in front of Wendy, Sherry, and the little dog. The hours between seeing the others had been spent…sleeping, and now she was wide awake as the lieutenant relayed how they had been _hunted _by a monster of leeches. Writhing, blood sucking, slime coated leeches. Claire shivered just from imagining what that horror looked like in the deserted halls of the hospital.

Making it to the roof and _missing_ an evacuation helicopter by…moments. It was heartbreaking how close they had been, but from what the officer was saying, it had been full of survivors already. But the Leech man…it sounded _vile. _Far worse than a zombie or two by how Marvin relayed the tale of its pursuit through the darkened halls with undead at almost every turn.

Pausing, Marvin looked at Leon and how…_young _the adult still seemed despite all of this madness. He had seen the M-16 held by the officer as he carried Wendy just minutes before. While he wasn't sure where he had found it, Marvin did know what he had retrieved from the roof last night.

"Leon. I have another magazine of five-five-six here. Make sure to grab it later" the police lieutenant informed his fellow survivor as he pulled the full mag and set it down on the carpeted step nearby. Taking another tired breath, the African American male resumed the sordid tale. Their battles with that squirming horror…the fleeing and running. Barricading an operating room while the dead sought to break in with that leech monster.

With the exception of Allyssa, almost all of the survivors grew slightly pale from the description. Some looked at Ada in worry and pity, hearing how she became infected as the tale continued.

"We eventually killed it in a heat room in the basement…and that's how we gained access to the hidden basement. That had been built by Umbrella"

"How? How could they even build something like that right below the hospital? Somebody would have noticed, right? I mean, my father pushed heavily for that new hospital when I was…a child…" Elizabeth inquired with shocked disbelief as her voice trailed off into silence. The fact her father might have something to do with it…

"I remember when they first proposed the new hospital. Heavy donations from Umbrella and it pushed through the city council within a few weeks. They probably built that lab with the hospital at the same time. It would've been impossible for your father to not catch wind of it if he was involved" Branagh informed the beautiful mayoral daughter as her eyes became downcast.

"What did you find? Any evidence to incriminate Umbrella?" Valentine asked strongly, her fingers gripping the edge of the pew before her. She wanted them to pay for everything, and now she learns they had a lab right under their feet!? The whole thing made her want to scream.

"There were these…_hunters _in the main lab, but at the time, they were sedated. No, the important thing was what Wendy found"

"You mean…?" Claire started to question as the male nodded quickly.

"Yeah. A working lab. She spent hours in there throughout the night…and developed a cure. And even as those abominations woke, she pushed herself to fight and reach safety. Wendy gave myself and Ada the cure less than an hour ago…and I think it's working. The burning of infection is lowering by the minute, and the beginnings of fever are gone. At least, that's what it's feeling like" Marvin explained while caressing his hidden wound lightly.

Claire Redfield turned, her ponytail giving a light bob as she studied the sleeping fifteen-year old.

"How? How could a girl that young have the knowledge to develop a cure for this? And in a few hours? Scientists and Doctors would need weeks or months…maybe years to counteract this virus destroying the city"

"She could be a genius" Cindy shrugged as Ada pinched her nose.

"Maybe? But all the other skills she has in firearms? And how in the hell did she calm down a pack of lions? Even professional animal trainers need years of experience and safe conditions to learn that craft"

The asian beauty sighed, annoyance on her face as she felt her heart trying to harden. Ada knew she owed a debt to the girl for giving her the cure…as she absent-mindedly scratched the bandaged wound on her forearm, but there were too many odd things about her.

"So what? Is she a spy or something? A child operative of Umbrella to keep tabs on us? How else could she develop a cure that fast?" Leon asked the group as he studied the slumbering girl. She was holding the chihuahua to her side, the soft snores barely heard as Sherry slumbered in a tangle of limbs.

"It's possible the girl is a spy…" Ada supported as she stroked her chin in contemplation. The irony wasn't lost on her. The actual spy saying a young teenager was a spy in disguise.

"I think it's bullshit. She's been way too helpful to many of us. Patching up wounds, scavenging supplies and ammo? Fighting the Nemesis and Birkin? And now Marvin just told us she developed an actual _cure _to this damned plague? I'm sorry, but as a journalist, her personality doesn't fit with someone trying to deceive us"

"But Allyssa? You have to admit she is hiding something" Jill supported as Marvin sighed.

"Whatever the case, we will ask her about it all when she wakes up. That girl saved my life so the least you could do is let her sleep and explain everything before the evacuation helicopter arrives" Getting up, the older policeman laid himself down on the far end of Wendy's pew.

"And if any of you get the bright idea to cuff her or cause her harm while I sleep because of your suspicions? I will exercise the full weight of the law despite our predicament" Marvin finished as he lay his weary head down on his palms to finally rest.

"…I'm too tired to deal with this" Wong gasped as she moved to the far side of the chapel and curled up to sleep. _"Did she make some extra vials of the cure? If she did…that would be worth millions"_

Leon rose, his back stiff from sitting so long with low pops of his spine. Walking toward the front podium, he quickly picked up and pocketed that precious ammunition for his M-16. Turning as Elizabeth walked past, the blonde woman sat down near Ada.

"I'll keep an eye on her. We still don't know if that cure worked"

"Good idea. I'll watch Marvin" Kennedy reassured the group as he leaned against the wall and watched Branagh sleep. Not surprised the older officer was already sawing logs, the rookie officer just folded his arms across his chest and waited in silence while trying to get comfortable.

"All this crap about Wendy being a spy…just a pile of garbage" Ashcroft cursed with a light spat of annoyance. Slumping down against the door, the reporter knew deep down that the girl wasn't dangerous to any of them. She was too brave and helpful…far better than most of the men she worked with.

Seriously, Allyssa had to file some harassment complaints because of their constant stares at her body. A professional like her…dealing with that old sexism in the news industry. But…she was alive and they were dead. Guess the victory went to her after all.

A few hours passed in comfortable silence, making them all forget of the nightmares outside these walls for the moment as the warmth and comfort eased their minds.

Claire had tried to lay down…to get some more sleep in their safe haven, but her mind was racing. Laying on her back, all she could do was stare up at the ceiling crawling with shadows. No matter how hard she tried…sleep wouldn't come again. Sitting up once more, Claire peeked over the pew edge at Wendy as the girl slept soundly with Pepper curled up against her flank. The sweat and grime seemed to have dried against her skin…and those stitches along her temple seemed to be doing well.

"_Could this young girl really be an Umbrella spy? If they're capable of making zombies and monsters, they what? Brainwashed her? Made her into a mercenary? Nobody would even suspect a young woman as a possibility…"_

Eyeing the storage pouch resting on her hip, Claire knew she needed answers. Standing up, the Redfield woman moved swiftly toward the slumbering female.

"Claire? What are you doing?" Leon inquired from his spot along the wall. His eyes bore into her back like snapping beams, but she ignored his gaze. Reaching for the pouch, Claire's fingers and thumbs worked on the snaps to open it as quietly as possible.

"Getting answers" she lightly snapped back. Sensing the still awake Jill as she came and crouched down, Valentine gave a nod while setting a comforting hand on Claire's shoulder.

"It's fine. Extenuating circumstances" Valentine reassured Chris's younger sister with a tired gaze. There was shame in it as well, but their lives could be in danger if Wendy wasn't who she said she was. Searching through her belongings was within their rights.

Taking another deep breath, Claire opened the storage pouch of Wendy in the hopes of finding nothing.

But she was wrong. So very wrong as Claire set the extra ammunition aside…and grasped the two glowing vails of blue liquid. A tiny emblem of the Umbrella logo was painted on the side, impossible to miss as she handed them to Jill.

"Is this…the cure? Did she plan on keeping it for herself?" Jill whispered as she slipped the two vital vials into her own side pouch for safekeeping. As a trained professional and an officer of the law, they would be far safer with her anyway.

"I don't know. I…what the hell is this?" Redfield asked once more as she pulled a strange looking gun from the pouch. It was the color of aluminum, but there was a strange keypad where a cocking hammer should be. Right above the keypad was a small number screen…then running down the barrel was a strange tube that fed directly toward the aperture at the end.

"It's not like any gun I've ever seen. Could be some sort of experimental firearm from Umbrella…" Jill supported as both women studied the strange device with scrutinous eyes.

"Hey. Stop going through her stuff, alright? We just have to wait a few hours then we can leave this dying city" Leon tried to ask politely…but both of them just ignored his words. Stepping forward, his face was showing more annoyance as Jill ignored him further to study that strange gun.

Pepper heard the footsteps, her tiny head rising from the early hours….and saw the two women near her new friend. Letting out a small '_grrr'_, the Chihuahua stood up before unleashing several small barks.

They were shrill and loud, bouncing off the nearby walls as several survivors were woken by the dogs barking…including Wendy.

Eye's opening slowly as the fifteen-year old rubbed them, the girl gave a yawn as Pepper barked some more to push the exhaustion away.

"Ugh…Pepper? What is it? Where are we?" Wendy asked as she petted the dog…then noticed Claire holding an object. An object that should not be out in the open. An object that was her only way home…and the women before her had taken it. Any sleepiness was gone in an instant as Wendy stood up and brought her pistol to Claire's head in a flourish of movement.

"Give it back…NOW!"

Redfield stumbled back, almost crab-walking behind Jill as the officer reacted in a flash of instinct.

Jill's training kicked in as she brought her own weapon up, the firearm pointing at the bluenette's head with unwavering accuracy.

"YOU DROP IT! I'M ORDERING YOU WENDY!" Valentine yelled in authority. The shouting awoke everybody, a cascade of surprise and shouts as many woke to find Jill pointing a gun at Wendy and said girl threatening Claire.

"What the hell is going on!?" Allyssa shouted from the doorway. Watching as Leon started to aim at the girl along with Ada, the reporter pulled her own pistol to aim at the FBI agent.

"They stole something very important to me! And they need to give it back!" Wendy said in a fearful outburst as her aim didn't waver. Her lips were pursed, wisps of her blue hair wavering before her eyes while she tried to assess the threats around her.

"So, you were planning on keeping the cure to yourself? We found two vials you were hiding in your side pouch" Jill accused while staring down the barrel at her target. Breathing deeply, the woman prayed. Fucking prayed that she wouldn't have to shoot a kid that helped saved Marvin.

"I knew it. She's keeping them to sell to the highest bidder…nothing but a common spy" Ada accused. Wendy's eyes went wide in…shocked disbelief from the statement. It was the craziest thing she had heard in her life.

"You…YOU THINK I'M A FUCKING SPY!? SERIOUSLY!?"

The clicking of a hammer and the pressing of a long barrel to her neck had the young woman freeze as Leon stood behind her.

"Drop the gun, Wendy. Don't do anything you'll regret"

"_What do I do? Why? Why are they doing this? Did I do something wrong? Are they all crazy? I nee—"_

The barrel of the M-16 pressed deeper into her neck, pushing down the muscle as Leon reasserted his position. "Don't make me ask again"

There was no choice.

Lowering the weapon, it was taken by the rookie officer as he pushed the girl to take a seat. Standing behind her, Kennedy felt like garbage for taking her by surprise, but the last thing he wanted was for people to die needlessly from running emotions and accidental gunfire. If he had cuffs, Leon might have handcuffed her, but hopefully it wouldn't come to that as Wendy seethed in her forced seat.

"Claire you bitch. You had no right to do this. Did Ada put you up to this?" Wendy sneered as she looked between the two women. Resettling her gaze on her portal gun, Marvell made a grab for it.

"Give it back"

Claire pulled away, her lips in a frown as she studied the strange gun. "Not until you explain some things. Now what the heck is this gun? An experimental weapon of some kind?"

"It's just a gun…now give it here"

"No. You've been hiding something this whole time. Now tell us what it is or we'll toss it outside" Jill lightly threatened…and watched the girls eyes go wider than saucers.

"_It is important…"_

Wendy seemed to slump in the pew, her body language just showing…defeat as she held the Chihuahua and petted her with moroseness. "You won't believe me…"

"There's undead monsters and other abominations roaming this city. I'm pretty sure whatever you have to say won't be that bad" Rita supported, her smile trying to be disarming and friendly. But still…now she had to wonder about Claire. Wendy was a good person…and damned brave for her age. The situation sickened Rita that it had come to this while she had been sleeping.

Wendy looked at Rita, her eyes showing how…_hurt _she was from this turn of events. Turning back to Claire and Jill, Wendy gave a surrendering sigh.

"That gun your holding? Allows a person to travel between universes. I'm…not a native of your world"

"Um…what? Your kidding, right?" Elliot asked in a stupefied tone.

"Take this seriously. This isn't a time for joking around" Jill scolded, her gaze boring into the girl.

"I'm not joking! I came from a different fucking planet alright! Hell! I never even planned on being here, but the damn thing got broken because of some demon ass-sucking asshole! All he had to do was hand it back, but the fucker broke it and tossed me into a breech! And then I find myself in this zombie infested shit show when my family and friends are probably worried sick about me!"

Nobody knew what to say, the silence palpable until Allyssa raised her hands in a waving manner.

"Okay okay. For the sake of argument, let's say you're telling the truth. Why would you keep it from us?"

"Tch! And what would you say if I had led with that? Hi, I'm Wendy. I come from a different version of Earth with mages and dragons. Oh, but billions of people have died thanks to a genocidal race of subterranean monsters from another reality" she scoffed. "You would've thought I was completely insane in the first minute"

"A race of monsters?" Cindy asked in distress, the waitress joining in from the side.

"Worse than anything outside of this church. At least the zombies are dumb. Those things…ruined my whole world" Voice going softer, the girl looked at Marvin with a few tears tugging at her eyes. "I lost many friends to the locust…and most of my planet is just…ash and craters. Only an estimated twelve million humans left…if we're lucky"

Cindy gasped in shock, her hands forming a fist as she placed it over the beating heart in her chest. Studying the teenager, she couldn't feel any deception or deceit. And if she was lying? Her conviction was steadfast. Wendy believed what she was saying even if it couldn't be true. "That…can't be right. Only twelve million? On a whole planet?"

"It's a rough estimate from my friend Levy after 'Scorch Day' happened…" Wendy's voice went softer, her gaze studying the adults surrounding her. "I see it you know…every time I close my eyes"

"See what?" Leon asked in discomfort. He had lowered the weapon, pointing it toward the floor as the female turned her attention toward him with a hard stare.

"The orbital fire from the Hammer of Dawn satellites. The entire horizon burned as city after city became nothing but smoldering ash…Tens of millions perished in an effort to stop the horde during the cycling of targets"

"Didn't your government fight? What about your armies?" Edwards inquired from his spot near the organ piano. He wasn't sure why he fed her delusion, but the teenager seemed…very sure of the past. It had to be nonsense though, right?

"DON'T YOU THINK WE TRIED!? With the exception of Fiore, Iceburg, and Stella, most countries were medieval technology or early renaissance at best! Against monsters with machine guns! With mortars and fucking brumaks! They could just…dig under armies equipped with swords and spears and slaughter them at ease! Millions died that first day! And I…I was doing the job of surgeons…doing the best I could to keep the wounded alive in the city of Clover Town!" The girl's rant faded, her eyes down-cast as she looked at Marvin. "That's why I know so much about medicine…battlefield triage. I've done it all. Amputations, sucking lungs, skin grafts for 3rd degree burns…virology"

The enduring silence could be cut with a knife as some of the survivors shifted uncomfortably.

Valentine didn't know what to make of it all until she pulled one of the vials from her pouch, her gaze questioning. "Why were you planning on keeping these? If this cure is viable it co—"

"I wasn't planning on keeping them. I _**was**_ planning on giving one to you and one to Allyssa as a way to ensure at least one got out…just in case I don't make it. Or in case somebody gets bitten"

"Wait…me? You were going to give me the virus cure?" Alyssa pointed to herself in surprise as Wendy nodded.

"Yeah. I trust you and you remind me of my big sister Sam. You're the kind of woman that won't easily be taken off her path for the truth or justice. And Jill…" Wendy gazed back, her eyes softening as she shook her head. "Despite you thinking I was some damned spy, I still want you to keep that cure safe…so long as you give the second to Ashcroft. Or are you going to keep saying I'm out to get you all?"

The jab made Jill feel guilty for her actions. And she was starting to seriously think she had been wrong about Wendy since the questioning began. Plus, if Wendy's claim was true, her home world would be far worse than Raccoon City.

"_Has she really fought monsters already? Far worse than the ones outside? …It would explain how she's kept a level head through all of this. But other worlds? Wendy is just coping in this nightmare…She has to be"_ Knowing she had to do something, Jill made her way over and handed one off to Allyssa with guilt hanging on her brow.

"I'm sorry…I messed up" Valentine murmured in an apology as she retook her place near the accused girl.

"You could make millions and you're just giving them away?" Ada asked incredulously as she stood in the corner with Elizabeth. To her, the cure would be a one way ticket to riches and retirement…and the little bat wielder would just give it to a cop and a reporter? Unbelievable.

"What good would money be on my world? It's just paper anyway" Wendy replied dismissively. Honestly, she had no use for money right now at all.

"Okay…so if you're not from this world, why did you help us? Hell, you could've just left me to die of the infection" Lieutenant Branagh asked simply, his dark face and eyes gazing at the girl sitting on the pew bench.

"Because it's the right thing to do. I'm a healer…somebody that likes to help if I can. It's as simple as that…and safety in numbers. I doubt I'd be able to escape this city otherwise without your help. Now, can I please have my portal gun back?" extending her hand, it was open as she stared evenly at Claire still standing before her.

Claire studied the young woman with the dog…and how Sherry was still sitting by her with a tender smile. Extending her hand, the gun was snatched away in the blink of an eye before disappearing into that side pouch of the young woman. Gathering up her stray ammunition, she sealed it up with practiced ease.

"Thanks"

Then Wendy slapped Claire across the left cheek, stinging flesh and leaving a red mark as her head flew to the right side. A startled gasp escaped her lips from the surprised blow, and damnit, it stung.

"That's for going through my stuff without my permission"

Her eyes snapped to the teenager, a few droplets stinging at the corners. _"I probably deserved that…"_

Walking toward the short hallway leading to the bathrooms, Marvell paused as she gave an even glare to all the adults in the small chapel. Noticing Claire rubbing her cheek, it gave her a small sense of satisfaction.

"I really don't care if you believe me or not. All I know is despite all of this, your all decent people in a crap situation. I'll still help you all if I can, but with the helicopter showing up in a few hours, I probably won't be needed anymore"

Turning on her heel, she went to the ladies bathroom to take care of some business. Minutes passed, each survivor taking time to think about the teenager…until Ada shattered the silence.

"What a nutjob. I can't believe she actually made a cure with her messed up mind" Ada said out loud, her tone dismissive of the whole thing. At least now she knew there were cure samples on Jill and Allyssa now.

"_But…she did help…crap. Sometimes being a mercenary sucks. Makes me almost feel bad for accusing her…almost"_

"No…Wendy is nice and she wouldn't lie" Sherry voiced out as she held the tiny dog to her chest.

"Your right Sherry…as a group most of us should be feeling shame for accusing her of anything. Especially after everything that's happened" Marvin reassured the little girl as his gaze settled on Jill and Claire. He could guess why they had done that as he slept…but who knows how badly their trust had been strained?

"I don't know… She seemed pretty sincere, Ada" Cindy input as Ashcroft just ignored the whole thing. Following her young comrade, the reporter was in the bathroom as Marvell tried to wash her face. The girl looked in the mirror, her eyes darting to the blonde woman in burgundy pants. The jacket was gone now, just a dirty white shirt as that shotgun harness snugged her breasts in the soft light of the bathroom.

"So…is that all true? Or just insane ramblings to cope?'

"Believe what you want, Allyssa. Not like I can prove anything right now anyway…aside from the fact my hair is actually blue" The girl turned, some of the dried grime and sweat gone as her blue hair fluttered.

"You mean it's not dyed?"

"Nope. Natural blue"

"Is…that normal on your world?"

"Sure. Pretty much any color can be found in hair. White, pink, purple, green, lavender, you name it"

"Interesting…" Glancing at her watch, Ashcroft saw it was already closing in on 8:00 a.m. Just a few hours left until they were rescued. Looking back at the girl, the reporter decided. "Think I can get an interview?"

"Uh…why?"

"Why not? Either way your nuts…or telling the truth. And dammit…You seem pretty damn sincere about everything. So why not tell me about your world? Your family and friends even if it's just a coping mechanism?"

Wendy pondered for a few seconds, then shrugged. "Fine. But not in here. Smells like bleach and piss. Main hall seemed safe before I passed out"

"Sounds good"

With that, the two left the bathroom as the minutes slowly ticked away toward noon and salvation…

**October 2****nd**** 11:55 a.m. Clock Tower courtyard.**

Jill pushed the double doors open with Leon as the group behind them waited in the historic hall of the structure. Groaning with weight and age, the hinges gave a small hiss of protest as sunlight poured into the hall.

Stepping outside, Leon studied his surroundings with a practiced eye while smoking tendrils from multiple fires graced the blue sky above. Some gunshots cracked the air, but there was nothing he could do about that.

"Sure looks a lot different than during that rain storm" He commented as his shoes thudded lightly against the brick pathway. Simply put, it was an open courtyard that separated the antiquated structure toward the connecting clocktower fifty feet away. Looming above a single pathway to the nearby road, it was a structure of furnished brick and stone as the sun bore downward.

Snarls erupted from his left, causing the police officer to raise his acquired M-16 to his shoulder in a heartbeat. There was a small cemetery there, the old tombstones crooked as the stone wall separated it from the other yard with the crashed trolley car. Dozens of undead were pressed against the barrier, but only the pallid faces and outstretched hands could be seen. Simply put, they couldn't force their way past that mortared construction as their hunger chilled his flesh.

"Good luck getting us. A few more minutes and we are outta here" he said with a grin and a salute. Speeding his pace to join Jill, the rookie was distinctly aware of how close Ada was to the S.T.A.R.S. officer as they moved down the path.

"I forgot how big this place actually is…" Cindy whispered as she admired the old architecture. Looking upward, she eyed the clock tower far above the opened gateway further ahead. The archway could be closed, a barrier of crisscrossed steel like the old churches of Europe. Past that was the round-about and a bridge across one of the river's tributaries, and hopefully escape. Elizabeth stepped up beside the waitress, the mayor's daughter giving a light smile as their fortunes seemed to look upward.

"It really is a monument of our city's architecture...I just wonder if anybody will enjoy these sights again" the female wondered in light distress as Rita and Elliot took up the rear.

Wendy passed under the archway with Allyssa, Marvin, Claire, and Sherry with her little companion held tight to her chest. The bright sun bore down, warming the air as abandoned vehicles circled the roundabout. Police cars and vans…an ambulance and multiple sedans had been piled up to block any further access of the dead. They could see them trying to climb over a gnarled pile-up across the circular road past an outdoor café, but there were few of them as they constantly flailed to make it past the wrecks.

"God. I was half expecting the landing zone to be filled with zombies" Marvell quipped as Allyssa grinned her way.

"I know, right? But it looks like we finally caught a break" Casting her gaze toward the river on the right, the bridge was another nightmare of vehicles and barricades as a few still burned. The reporter saw a few infected stumbling among the smoke and stuttering flames on the far side, but their numbers were low.

Thudding rotors drew Jill's gaze upward, a smile of relief and thanks across her beautiful features. Raising a hand to shield her eyes, they saw the helicopter flying low over the rooftops of the city directly toward them all. A dull black, it was the most beautiful sight Jill had ever seen as the helicopter flew closer and closer. Passing over the far side of the river, it was only a minute away from landing in the round-about.

It was salvation for them all.

"Finally"Turning toward Cindy, Elizabeth and the two officers, Jill saw them still standing in the archway of the clocktower. "Hey! Hurry up or you'll miss the chop—"

The stunning soundwave of a rocket being launched along with the burning embers of a smoke trail drew Valentine's gaze upward in horror. Streaking across the blue sky, the pilot probably had no time to even think about evasion as the explosive payload crashed through the windshield…and detonated.

In a burst of flame and debris as metal flew outward from the explosion, the air transport tilted nose-first toward the circular street as billowing smoke flew from the destroyed cockpit. It was dropping uncontrolled now…a falling stone of fuel and metal. And it was heading straight for that archway that led to the main building of the clocktower. The four survivors stared like deer in the headlights until Elliot finally shook himself free of the fear.

"SHIT! LOOKOUT!" Elliot screamed as he grabbed Elizabeth and ran back the way they had just came. Practically dragging her along as Rita and Cindy did the same, he barely had seconds to react.

Crashing at the far end of the circular roadway, the ruined helicopter dragged across several vehicles before skidding and sparking across the road. Jill rolled right, joined by Leon and Ada as the wreck furrowed past in a hailstorm of burning fuel and destruction. Pieces of vital machinery flew off, the metalwork warped beyond recognition as it skidded toward the Wendy and the others near her.

"FUCK! MOVE!" Marvell shouted in defeated dread. Grabbing Sherry, the teenager barely avoided death as she shielded the child from a hail of sparks. Feeling herself grabbed by Marvin, they could feel the heat as fuel started to burn mere feet away. Finally colliding with the brickwork of the archway, the evacuation helicopter came to rest as more aviation gas spilled…then brewed up in a spectacular explosion.

Wendy watched in…stunned defeat as the vehicle burned. It was one of the worst things she had felt, and there was nothing she could do. Looking at the trail of destruction, the fuel fire stretched across the round-about to the fire side. It had effectively cut it in half as the billowing smoke rose and crackled while the girl tried to reason with what just transpired.

Their escape route had just been destroyed in a matter of moments.

Jill tried to pick herself up, the fresh scrapes and cuts from her tumble stinging. Eyes watching the roaring fuel fire, they reflected the hopelessness she felt.

"No…NO! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?" She cried while standing up. Running as close as she could, the intense heat made her shy away while the flames crackled and popped. Then she thought of the others in a flash of worry.

"Claire!? Marvin!? Are you okay!?"

Valentine could hear movement, then the familiar voice of Allyssa from the other side of the terrible blaze.

"_We're fine! But what the hell? Was that a rocket!?"_ the stressed voice replied as Jill finally looked up at the possible source….and felt her skin grow cold.

"No…not him again…"

It was him. The Nemesis standing on the sloped roof of the clocktower with a rocket launcher…and staring directly down at her. That horrible stitched face…the burnt and cracked flesh where he had been wounded prior…the horrid tubes of purple liquid that pulsed with each moment.

"_STARS…"_

It was a horrid rasp of hate that drew Leon's and Ada's attention upward.

"Not him again!" the two yelled in unison as it started to squat its legs.

The tyrant jumped, aiming directly for Jill as she stood near the raging tract of fire. Valentine rolled, her form going tight as the towering monster landed. The pavement cratered from the impact as it started to stand and gaze her way. The lipless teeth snarled, its evil just…encompassing the area as it took a step forward toward the brunette.

Five-five-six bullets tore into the pulsing wounds of its chest, a three round burst that shattered the fear drenched air.

"JILL! RUN!" Leon cried a he stepped forward. Twenty feet away, the handsome officer squeezed off another trio of shots as they impacted and bloomed against the tattered trench coat. The nemesis staggered lightly, the compounding damage taken in the past working against it. Lowering its hand, a coiled tendril shot out like a hideous tentacle. Raising it, he shot it at Jill as it speared the ember ridden air choked with haze. Valentine dodged, rolling near Ada who had her gun leveled at the nightmare for a second time in her life.

The vile tentacle's tip dragged across Jill's thigh, making her want to scream at how absolutely _wrong_ it felt against her bare skin. Backpedaling a few steps, the appendage retreated for the time being as the tyrant kept his eye on her movement's.

"No…NO! WE STOP THIS ASSHOLE NOW!" Valentine yelled back as she leveled the grenade launcher at the foul beast. Pulling the trigger, the munition flew from the barrel's aperture in a trail of smoke and fire. It impacted, blowing away bits of flesh as the shrapnel tore into the tyrant's muscle. Fire washed over the chest staggering the horror backwards toward the roaring flames that split the road.

Reloading as the empty shell clattered to the pavement, Jill glanced at Ada and the abandoned police van near the bridge. "Ada! Check that van for any ammo! We're going to be running outta here damn fast!"

Not even bothering to watch the Asian female anymore, Jill didn't hesitate to fire again. Another flying grenade shot through the air before impacting in another damaging explosion against the Nemesis. Embers of fire licked at his disgusting flesh, burning with a horrid stench as it tried to stay on its feet from the hammer blows.

"Hey ugly!"

It turned its gaze toward Leon, bits of shrapnel and fire feeding on its pallid cheek as the tyrant growled.

Taking a deep breath as Jill reloaded another grenade, Kennedy aimed down the iron sights at that grotesque face…and fired. Four rounds shattered the ashen filled air before finding a home in the Nemesis' head. They broke and tumbled, ruining its nightmarish looks further as it screamed in rage and pain. Thrashing around, it had backed up to the raging pyre behind it as Jill gave a sneer.

"This is for ruining my day, fucker"

A third grenade flew, the explosion blooming across the shrapnel and fire sundered flesh as the monster staggered…then finally fell backwards into the roaring flames. Popping and hissing greeted Jill as she reloaded, but the trio knew…it wouldn't last.

Rushing toward the police van as Ada ransacked the interior, Jill and Leon appeared at the back in a gasp of breath. Faces covered in smears of soot, Jill knew seconds were counting here.

"Find anything?" Leon asked in pitch of panic as his eyes watched the female inside.

"Yeah. Something for all of us" Having slid them into her side pouch, Ada knew that time was critical.

"We can inventory later" Jill rushed as the other woman jumped down onto the pavement. Starting to run as fast as she could toward the vehicle clogged bridge, Valentine's chest heaved in the tube top as her group ran between the cars. Some were just stopped, others had been in accidents as the driver's lay dead across the hood or still buckled inside. A trapped zombie beat against the glass of a sedan, the rotting lips pressing and smearing while the three sprinted. Shoes and boots crunched glass or sloshed through spilt fuel, the smell noxious as the three ran faster.

A monstrous roar made Jill's adrenaline spike and rise, the fear almost dripping off of her as she looked back…and grew even more afraid.

The Nemesis had risen, the damage she incurred marring its flesh as the left shoulder seemed to pulse and grow. The arm had been hideously burned by her actions and was starting to grow longer as the hand ended in clawed daggers. Its head had become slightly deformed, the lone eye watching Jill flee.

"Faster…run faster!" the police-woman urged as they passed the halfway point of the bridge. Sprinting past a gasoline tanker that had jack-knifed across the roadway, the group kept running with their lives depending on it.

"Zombies" Wong gasped with a pointed finger to her left. A small group had become entangled in the traffic snarl on the left side, but they could get past if they were fast enough. Keeping a tight grip of her pistol, the Asian woman tried to look back to their pursuer as the undead rasped and moaned with the nearby meals. Trying to shift toward the right and place vehicles between them, the three thought of the undead as a mere after thought as they staggered and stumbled toward them. Bumping against several cars in the way, they were slowed down while their infected throats moaned in disappointment.

Another horrifying roar and the thumping of feet made her throat run dry as the Nemesis started to simply bowl its way through the traffic accidents. Metal tore and ripped as it flipped a car, not even caring about the undead inside as the nemesis pursued its target without mercy.

"Jill! Ada! Keep going! I have an idea to buy some time!" Leon shouted as he stopped.

"What!? NO!" Jill shouted as she came to a stop. Turning, she watched as Leon climbed into the bed of a pick-up truck and took a knee. Aiming toward the gasoline tanker, Valentine's eyes widened in realization.

"Go…go now"

"Come on! It's after you! And therefore, me! Run you idiot!" Wong urged as she practically pushed Jill toward the far end of the bridge.

"You better not die, you handsome moron!" Jill shouted. Dodging to the left as a trapped zombie pinned between to cars lunged her way, the two women kept running to find some place to hide.

Ada and Jill ran into the T-intersection at the far side, the tangle of cars lessening as a few dead started to shamble their way. Frantically looking each way, it was Ada that pointed toward a possible escape route on the right.

"There! That fire escape between those two buildings!" The two ran, weaving between the infected as their fear and chests burned.

Leon breathed calmly, aiming down the length of his rifle while the nearby undead tried to reach him. Keeping his sights on the fuel tanker, all he had to do was wait as the rampaging abomination came closer and closer.

Kennedy didn't have to wait long.

Stomping around the front end of the large truck laden with gasoline, the tyrant had become even more grotesque as some of its skin bubbled from dancing flames. Its face was a nightmare, warped and burned with the stitches fraying while the lone eye turned toward the handsome officer. It knew Leon helped its target…therefore the male's death could help in hunting Valentine down.

"You've just been fired"

Squeezing the trigger, a lone bullet cracked over the span of concrete and steel. Snapping through the air, it punctured the dull metal of the large tank…and ignited the gasoline inside. It was like a bomb going off as chunks of debris flew and hissed through the air. Explosive force burst outward, literally blowing the tyrant over the edge of the traffic bridge and into the river below with a final splash of liquid. Smoke and fire billowed upward, clogging the air as Leon jumped to the road in haste. Shoes gripping, the man ran as the roadway behind him became a nightmarish inferno. Another car exploded behind him, the flames reaching the gas tank as the male ran and ran.

Reaching the end of the bridge, the young officer saw Jill and Ada standing on the second floor of a building's fire escape. Unfortunately, several infected had gathered below the ladder in a futile attempt to reach the females. They had homed in on the living and were gathering more around the apartment building that had a garbage truck embedded in the façade. Their hands swatted and reached, pale and diseased while Jill and Ada tried to think of a solution to regroup with Leon.

Waving for them to continue, Leon started to circle around to rejoin them as the bridge continued to burn behind him with the shambling undead closing in…

The low crumps of grenades exploding along with the chattering of rifle fire made Claire cringe in dread. Running toward the un-controlled fire that bisected the plaza, she couldn't get close as the heat blasted her face.

"We have to help them! That monster is bac-!" Redfield urged as smoke rose. Embers flew and fluttered as something big landed in the fire among the gnarled ruins of metal and destroyed vehicles. Feeling herself pulled back by Allyssa, the blonde clamped a hand over Claire's as the Nemesis burned…then slowly rose with a terrifying roar.

"Quiet…unless you want it to target us"

Gulping, Claire and the others watched in dripping fear as the beast started to transform. Still on fire among numerous places, it disappeared as the inferno raged hotter and higher.

"_Good luck, Jill"_ Ashcroft lightly prayed before letting go of Claire.

"There's nothing we can do now, anyway. Those flames are too hot and we have a child with us" Marvin admitted as his heart became heavy. Studying the roaring wreck wedged into the archway corridor that would lead them back to the historic building and church, all he could feel was…_defeat._ That helicopter had been their chance to escape.

"Mr. Marvin? What about the others…?" Sherry asked in a low whisper while the flames crackled and popped.

"Yeah…I should check" Marvin replied while mentally kicking himself. It had all happened so fast and frankly, he was still in light shock. Stepping past Wendy as the girl watched the air transport sizzle and pop with the ticking of burning paint and metal, the police man knew there was nothing to say. Approaching the twisted carnage, he cupped his hands around his mouth before he gave a yell.

"ELLIOT! RITA! ARE YOU THERE!?"

Leaning forward as his skin heated and the smoke billowed, he finally heard Edward's voice shout in reply.

"_We're okay! But the—"_

The screeching of a car being tipped over, followed by a horrendous roar snapped his vision north near the traffic snarl by that café as Marvin's blood ran cold.

"_**SSSHHHEEERRYYY!"**_

The mutated voice was like a thunderclap as Birkin strode into the plaza, his massive claw embedding into a paneled van and _pushing _it to the side with a hail of sparks and tearing metal. The vehicle tipped, spilling glass across the road as the windshield shattered like a flow of diamonds in the October day.

Standing tall as it let out another enraged roar, the form of Sherry's father _dripped_ death and horror. The grenade blowing up in its face yesterday among that ill-fated tram had done damage…which caused fresh mutations.

Birkin's chest was wider now, a gristle of exposed muscle and taught sinew of a discolored pink that rippled with strength and power. His former head seemed to have lowered, sinking near the left shoulder as the…normalish hand and forearm twitched. However, a new head had taken over between the deformed shoulders. Half of it was bald with a single eye of yellow and red, while the other half was nothing but stretched fibers of gristle and sinew. They fed into the right shoulder, the mutation of that overgrown appendage terrifying beyond belief. Ending in a clawed hand that could easily grasp a full adult torso, the fingers clenched and unclenched as the monster looked their way.

The shoulder eye opened, blinking slowly as the reds and yellows mixed among the iris.

Several undead had been drawn to the noise from beyond, their listless stagger and hunger closing on Birkin as the creature stood there for a few brief moments, seemingly in contemplation…if it could even do that.

One bumped into him, the feeble citizen trying to grab with one arm as the other was a ruin of muscle and flesh. Enraged, the virus-laden scientist turned and slashed with that horrific claw in a sweeping arc. Three of the zombies were caught in the swipe, the razor tips tearing apart diseased flesh and skin. One lost her head, the cranium thudding to the pavement at the beast raged and slaughtered the zombies that had dared to touch it.

"Claire…If you still think I'm a spy, crazy, or believe me, it doesn't matter…just protect Sherry from him not matter what"

"Right" Redfield agreed as she knelt down and whispered to the terrified girl in the hopes of comfort. They had hoped to never see this creature again…but it was here. For Sherry. The girl was hugging the dog close, doing her best to comfort Pepper as Claire told her to stay by her side no matter what.

"Don't waste smaller calibers on him…and aim for that disgusting eye" Wendy told Marvin and Allyssa as she gripped the .357 magnum in her sweating hands. Not because it was hot despite the fire on her right, but because of how damned scared she was. Birkin was a monster, and the teenager knew that there was no way they had the firepower to kill it right now. Hell, the magnum would just piss it off.

"God…disgusting" Allyssa murmured with distaste. The reporter held the Mossberg, its familiar weight reassuring as the chest cam continued to record. _"At least I'll get some good video…"_

Lieutenant Branagh checked his Mp5, making sure there was a full magazine ready for use as the horror before him stopped its swiping rage against the few undead. They had been…brutalized with decayed ichor splatters against his chest as he turned…then crouched his legs.

"He's jumping!"

Sprinting forward, Marvin and the others scattered while the monster leaped into the blue sky filled with churning smoke. Looking up as it reached the parabola of his leap, the policeman could have sworn those nightmarish claws sparkled in the daylight.

Birkin came down with a crash, splitting part of the pavement as the daggers of his right hand embedded themselves. Grunting in annoyance, the muscle bound nightmare slowly stood as it turned its mutated gaze toward Sherry and Claire.

"Stay away from her you asshole!" Redfield screamed as she picked the girl up and ran. Biker boots thudded against the ground, mixing in with the roaring fire as the college student looked back with dread.

Birkin had turned, the shoe-less feet crunching across pebbles and shards as the large eye opened and tracked the girl being carried away.

Wendy stood with Allyssa, the two females having their backs blasted with heat after they dodged the initial impact. Gripping the magnum tight, the monster was still half turning away to chase Claire and her charge while Wendy dripped with burning adrenaline. Trying to calm herself of how badly this day had gone, the young woman aimed over the sights at the bulbous eye.

"Time for round three, asshole!" the teenager shouted while she fired.

The magnum bucked like a mule, flinging a slug of lead as the noise echoed across the roadway. Impacting the vile eye, yellow pus flew with a sprinkle of fluid. Enraged at the pain while he bellowed in murderous fury, the monster charged at Wendy.

"Shit!" Rolling to the side as the horrible claw knives kissed the air where her head had been, Wendy scrambled to her feet while Birkin turned. Starting to run, the girl could hear the scrape of those daggers across the pavement. Creating space, the teenager planted her feet and squeezed off another booming shot as Birkin stalked her way.

The shoulder eye had closed, significantly reducing the damage of the .357 round as it smashed into the purplish skin covering the orb. Birkin grunted as he staggered, but the monster seemed to ignore that second shot as it stalked closer to kill.

"_Run! Fucking run Wendy!" _the girl mentally screamed as she sprinted further away.

"Marvin! Get it's attention!" Ashcroft screamed as she moved to give support to her younger comrade. Dropping to his knee near a wrecked car, the policeman did just that as he kept his Mp5 steady. A small burst erupted, the tinkle of flying brass like metal rain while the rounds smacked into Birkin's back. They thudded like a meat hammer, stitching across the hardened flesh with almost no effect. Allyssa fired into the muscular bone and skin, but the damage was minimal across the deformity's back as it lightly stumbled before continuing.

"Dammit! HEY! UGLY! OVER HERE!" Branagh shouted in a futile bid to garner attention his way. Springing to his feet, the survivor ignored the flare of his stitched-up wound as he followed to assist in any way he could.

A billow of smoke wafted before Allyssa as she ran through, making the woman cough while soot settled against her cheeks. Emerging with stinging eyes and a raw throat, she felt her heart skip a beat as Wendy barely dodged another deadly swipe of those claws.

Birkin roared, spittle flying from that mutated mouth as he concentrated on the threat that had caused him so much pain.

"WENDY! THIS WAY!" the reporter shouted with her hands gripping the shotgun. The fire roared near her, popping with billowing heat and the stink of gas as the blue haired teenager tried to keep out of arms reach. Sprinting on feet fueled by fear and adrenaline, Marvell clutched her weapon as she circled around toward the flames and Allyssa.

At least Birkin had forgotten about Sherry and Claire who were hiding behind a truck near that café.

Another crackling fusillade from Marvin shattered the air, the six rounds burrowing into the diseased chest. Bits of blood bloomed outward, but the damage was minimal. Letting out another nightmarish scream of rage, Birkin raised that trunk-like appendage and swiped in fury at the lieutenant. He went flat, the clawed knives shredding the air above his head moments later before he struggled to roll away.

A blast of buckshot erupted from the muzzle of Allyssa's shotgun, the steel balls ripping into Birkin's chest while sundering some of the muscle. Momentarily staggered, the massive shoulder eye opened to stare at both females standing just a few feet from that horrendous fire. A horror of red and yellow, the eyeball blinked in almost _recognition_ while it tracked Wendy. And deep in the few vestiges of William Birkin's mind, it remembered the girl as the one to wound it before.

Birkin roared, the bellow a nightmare of fear as he charged to kill the tormentor.

Wendy's face was dripping sweat from the burning adrenaline and furious heat behind her. Barely managing to raise her magnum in time, the virus laden abomination charged directly toward her.

"Come on! Into the fire!" Ashcroft yelled before firing again in unison with Wendy. The steel shot hissed through the air, mixing in with the lone magnum round before embedding in the rancid eye half a second later. Vile fluid flew in arcs of pus and blood from the damage, but the two females didn't stay to watch their handiwork. Both rolling to opposite sides with Birkin staggering past like a wounded creature, they landed hard from waiting for the last possible moment.

Breath escaping past her lips, Allyssa looked over her shoulder as Birkin stumbled into the inferno. Falling face first, the fire crackled and snapped with new flesh to cook as he lay still from the heavy damage to that horrendous eye.

"Let's go! We all know that won't be enough!" Branagh urged as he helped the blonde reporter to her feet. Wendy was already up, her feet thudding across the asphalt as she made her way to Claire and Sherry.

"We need to go, now!" The teenager said loudly, her eyes tracking back to the flames nearby. Birkin was still there, but who knows how little time they had.

Nodding, Claire picked up Sherry with the girl clutching the Chihuahua close to ease her terror and fear. Following Marvin and the others as they ran through the now open vehicle gap past the café, the sister of Chris cursed.

There were zombies. Staggering and limping along the destruction strewn roadway. Littered with garbage and glass, they were single-minded in their desire to feed as they walked past abandoned vehicles and looted stores.

"Run past! We don't have the ammo or time!" Wendy encouraged as she brandished her trusty bat. Running interference with Marvin, the two tried to keep them away as the group fled down the road. With at least two dozen undead scattered about, the five survivors weaved through the gaps in a bid to find safety.

Branagh shot a dead man in the face, two bullets turning his cranium to mush as the group entered a T-intersection that ran parallel with the river. Wendy killed a nearby zombified fireman, her bat caving in the skull before she sprinted away. A fire engine was consumed by a blaze to the left, the crackling flames consuming the cooking flesh and skin of three zombies as they stumbled away from the wreck. Tilted on its side, the truck was nothing but charred steel as Claire pointed toward a possible safe haven.

Set at the corner past the burning emergency vehicle, the staircase leading toward the city's subway system was momentarily clear of the infected. A car had crashed through part of the surrounding railing, the front end a tangled mess as the sing above tilted.

_**South Raccoon Street Station**_

"The subway!"

"Hurry! Down the stairs!" Marvin shouted in fear as more dead surrounded them. Wendy cracked one across the head that got too close, the former transportation worker grunting from the blow as the girl turned and ran down the stairs.

All Allyssa could feel was fear…burning fear and racing adrenaline as her shoes pounded the concrete steps in front of Marvin. Dodging as a zombie stuck in the railing tried to swipe from above, the blonde could _feel_ the dead fingers flow through some strands of hair as her heart beat like a hammer in her throat. The landing ahead was clear as Claire and Wendy stopped at the still open fire shutter, the two already taking places.

"Start pulling, Claire!" Wendy hollered as her adrenaline flowed through her system. Planting her feet as Marvin and Allyssa surged through, the group was horrified as some of the zombies started to stumble and fall down the concrete staircase.

Sherry hugged Pepper tighter, the little dog whimpering and letting out short yips as the emergency fire gate groaned. Marvin and Allyssa had joined to help, their faces contorted as all four pulled downward to close the barrier.

"Grrr! Dammit!" Branagh rasped as the steel door slid downward on groaning tracks …just as the first infected reached them. Thumping against the now closed barrier, he leaned his back against it as Claire threw the heavy latch to lock it in place.

"Thank god it was still open" Claire mentioned in a gasp of breath and exhaustion from the fear driven sprint.

Marvin panted, his hands resting on his knees as the Mp5 dangled from the strap across his chest. "You got that right. Damn lucky" He lightly chuckled before wiping his brow.

Allyssa looked around after a minute, her ears detecting the banging and undead cries from the other side. But the shutter was thick…a safety measure against those flesh hungry freaks. A light flickered above, stuttering in the gloom before revealing the descending staircase to the subway below. Trash and a few dried puddles of blood covered the steps and walls nearby, but other than that, it was clear.

"I'm scared…what if he finds us down here?" Sherry said in a tone barely above a whimper. Wrapped in a comforting hug, Claire had stooped down to reassure the scared child.

"Don't worry, Sherry. Everything will be alright" glancing at Wendy, the girl was still gripping her bat that dripped with a few splatters of old gore. Switching to her pistol, Wendy took the first step before casting a grin Sherry's way.

"I won't let that happen. I've fought him three times now and I'm still kicking. In fact, that monster should be afraid of me" Turning, Wendy gave a smile. "Remember your important job?"

"To…to keep Pepper safe?"

"That's right. But you can't do that if your scared of that monster. So be brave and I'll make sure you get someplace safe" Marvell reassured with a thumbs-up. Getting a nod in response, the teenager turned as her blue haired fluttered in the claustrophobic stairwell.

Taking another step as she kept her gun lowered, all Wendy could feel was dread…loss…anger at how today's events had unfolded.

"_Is there any hope left? A place to escape to? There's…nothing ahead except darkness and fear…"_

Taking another step, the young woman and her fellow survivors descended into the depths of Racoon City…

Edward didn't hear another reply from Marvin after that terrifying roar…a roar they all recognized from that rain soaked hell the night before. Taking a cautious step backward while the reports of gunfire came from the other side, the male officer knew there was nothing they could do.

"The helicopter…we were so close" Elizabeth murmured in unbelieving anguish. One moment they were on their way to safety…and the next, they were running to escape the surging flames and subsequent explosion.

The whole thing…it had crushed her hopes as the acrid smoke billowed from the ruin of the crash site cutting them off from the others. Squinting her eyes, the voluptuous female still wearing her dirty white dress stepped back as a draft of wind pushed the roiling plume her way…and the horrid stench of burning skin.

The pilot was nothing but roasting pork now, and the smell wanted to make Elizabeth puke.

Rita could easily understand the sheer _unfairness_ of fate that had ruined their escape. Hell, she hadn't even seen what happened really. One moment they were going to catch up with Marvin and the others, the next…the helicopter was a falling matchstick of burning fuel and rendered metals. Rita had simply ran, the adrenaline fueled fear in her veins pushing Cindy to the ground at just the right moment.

Heat had washed over them, their clothes getting light singes as ash and metal shards flew outward. Feeling the fresh scrapes and tiny cuts, the shorter officer tried to find a way past…but saw none as a few more yells and gunshots reached them all.

A horrifying bellow made Cindy shrink back, the waitress gripping the revolver to her chest in dread as silence took over with the pluming flames nearby.

"What do we do now? And what about the others?" Lennox asked Elliot as she turned to the officer for answers.

Running his left hand down his face, Elliot simply shook his head as he held the elephant gun in the other. "The hell if I know. That helicopter was our ticket out of here. Now…now I have no idea"

His tone was defeated…almost broken as the policeman stared at the inferno consuming the archway beyond.

A low shifting of rock and mortar drew Rita's attention to the graveyard wall as dogs barked and howled nearby. The undead beyond were still grasping and stumbling, their heads barely clearing the barrier of old stone. Pebbles loosened, falling in a small rain while the stonework started to _shift._

"Um…everybody? We should get inside" the short blonde reasoned as she raised her pistol. The hairs on her neck were rising…almost stiff as the dog howls got closer and closer. Fight or flight was kicking in…and she wanted to flee.

The others looked at that old wall, their feet slowly moving them subconsciously as more mortar and rock seemed to spill onto the grass of the graveyard. A few seconds later it buckled inwards, the old stones tumbling as a zombified woman fell forward with a startled groan. Her face was a ribbon of gouges, the diseased eyes looking at the four humans as a man started to walk over her back. Pushing her down, the dead started to flow inward as more and more of that wall broke and shifted. Dogs barked from beyond, their noses picking up the scent of fresh skin as they tried to push through past the horde of zombies now emerging into the graveyard.

"Back inside!" Elliot urged as the situation went to hell just in the span of seconds.

The four survivors ran with their lives in the balance as the first zombified canine squeezed through, its smaller form making it easier. Turning its head missing pieces of skin as rot fell in clumps, the former golden retriever growled at the fleeing meals…then started to pursue.

Elizabeth reached the double doors first, their oaken exterior rough as she pushed it open in fleeing panic. Cindy slipped in behind her, the two blondes breathing deeply from the short sprint.

"Faster, Elliot!" Rita shouted in a voice laced with dread as her shoes pounded the brick walkway toward the building. Glancing back, the retriever was gaining on her fellow officer as two more infected dogs pushed through that horrific gap with easily a dozen undead. They were all pursuing. A mass of broken lives and former companions as they moaned and bayed with death emerging from maws of disease.

Rita made it to the historical building, sliding around to push the door shut with the other two women. Edwards sprinted in, the dog leaping in that moment with its bloody teeth dripping with tendrils of torn flesh.

Cindy and the others were already slamming that heavy door shut the moment Elliot cleared the threshold. It closed just in time, the dog on the other side throwing its body at the barrier with an echoing thud and snapping jaws.

"Dammit…shit…shit" Cindy cursed as her shaking fingers finally fumbled the lock into place. The whole situation had gone even worse as the door trembled again seconds later. The barking and baying outside sounded so…_wrong_ to the waitress as they scratched and howled. Then the double doors buckled with the press of zombies as the horde gathered.

"We need to get out of here. Find a way to lose them" Elliot urged, his face pallid and almost pale. He was horrifyingly aware of how close that former canine had come to sinking its teeth into him.

"The dinner hall has a back patio and a gate. We can escape that way" Elizabeth suggested as the undead pressed the door again. The lock groaned…never meant to be under that much stress. The other survivors knew it was that, the hospital, or the horde beyond. Given those choices, the option was easy.

"Good idea" Rita encouraged as the four quickly moved to the adjoining room with the bar and kitchen. Bypassing the deceased as they lay around where they had fallen, the group hastened their steps as the echoing shudder of the doors in the hall cracked.

Reaching the dinner and dance hall as sprays of blood and glass covered the marble tile, the four walked through one of the broken floor-to-ceiling windows and onto the patio beyond. Clumps of torn flesh and pieces of people were strewn among the tipped over patio tables, their smell collecting flies as the October day continued to heat the city.

"There" Elliot motioned with his rifle as his eyes studied the wrought iron gate set into the enclosing brick wall of the yard. It was closed, the bars still sturdy and strong while tendrils of smoke wafted above.

A nearby explosion wracked the air, possibly coming from the river, but nobody was exactly sure. Besides, they had more pressing matters. Grasping the handle, Elliot pulled the old gate open as it gave a squeal of rusting hinges and tormented metalwork.

Stepping into the narrow alleyway, Edwards had the large rifle pressed to his shoulder. It was dirty, strewn with forgotten trash while running along for approximately another thirty yards before another closed gate loomed ahead. Lined on both sides with high brick walls, the alley was far too narrow for a car…or even two people shoulder to shoulder to walk in comfort.

But it was empty of monsters.

"It's clear. Let's get going before we become a dog's chew toy" the stressed officer informed the three women as he stepped forward to take point.

The gate groaned closed a brief minute later, Cindy locking it to deter any pursuers. Keeping her .38 special on hand, the waitress followed Rita in a single file line down the alley.

"Rita? Do you know where Elliot wants to go?" The woman whispered. The telltale sounds of infected still reached them all, fraying their nerves while a few gunshots rang randomly in the distance.

"I…don't know. I think he's just following the path before him right now?"

"Well…what about the university? I think we could reach it if we're lucky"

Elliot paused, stopping to look over his shoulder at the waitress. Stress and fear creased his brow, the days event's crushing his hopes. To be honest, the officer was just moving on automatic to escape the monsters. Hell, after they passed through the nearby gate, he had no idea where to go.

"The university…it has a dock along the river, right? For some of their aquatic classes?"

"It does. But with how things are…" Cindy replied in wavering uncertainty. Her spirit had been tested…almost broken and to be denied escape again…it would defeat her completely.

"But it's a chance, right? That there could still be a boat there?"

"I don't know…" Cindy replied with downcast eyes.

"We should try" Rita supported with Elizabeth giving a curt nod.

"Alright. Raccoon University…our last hope" Elliot said lowly, his words barely a whisper as the four moved toward the end of the alley and the awaiting hellscape of the city streets beyond…

**There we go! Another chapter dooonnne! And before you ask, no they will not reunite again until the epilogue chapter. The groups of survivors are set now. And if you can guess, Rita and her group will get the University escape. The other two…haven't decided yet. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I know the fights with the two tyrants weren't super long, but I figured the fire across the plaza and the fuel tanker could be game changers…or to at least lose them. Because lets be honest, none of them have the weapons to kill either of those horrors. Sure, they can stun them or slow them down, but they'll need a rocket launcher or something to do that. Which is only available at the end :)**

**Still…READ! REVIEW! ENJOY!**

**Jill: Ada? Why do you keep looking at my hip pouch?**

**Ada: No reason… *looks again***

**Jill: Are you thinking of stealing the cure?**

**Ada: *Sees Leon, then looks at Jill's pouch* Decisions, Decisions…millions of dollars or the stud?**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	15. The Riverfront

**Well I am back with the next chapter of No Hope No Escape! I hope everybody has enjoyed this story so far, but I have to say…it's coming to a close. I foresee six chapters then a final epilogue…so seven total. I might just concentrate on this and finish the whole thing! Because I really didn't see it being this long. Still, I hope you all enjoy this insane nightmare.**

**I still don't own any media.**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 15: The Riverfront**

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**October 2****nd**** 12:47 p.m.**

Elliot inched toward the alley gate, its bars flecked with rust while smoke and heat grew in intensity. Swallowing deeply, the male officer kept his long rifle pressed to his shoulder. Hissing of scorched metal and the stench of burning meat assaulted his senses, a smell that he would never forget.

"I hate that smell…" Elizabeth stated with disgust from further back. Her nose crinkled, trying to forget the horror it contained.

"Me too" Edwards replied as he quietly unlatched the steel gate. Pushing it open, hinges protested from rust, but were lost under the roaring fire to the right. It was a tangle of burning vehicles, a pile of wrecks twisted around a city bus on its side. The fuel had spilt across the road, igniting in the past as it spread to the abandoned traffic snarl and nearby shops.

To the right was a police cruiser stationed in the middle of the two lane road, the vehicle's hood splattered with gore as the driver's door hung open. There were no signs of the officers.

A horrid groan came from the inferno, causing the male to swivel. A corpse was trapped in a car, its body wedged while flame ate at the skin with eagerness. A few more of the infected staggered among the fuel fire, but they were listless…lost in the blaze.

A tap to his shoulder had him turn, seeing Rita with a finger pressed to her lips to indicate silence. Moving to the abandoned cruiser, the short blonde leaned in to search as the others made a small semi-circle of protection.

Cindy's eyes were darting around, her face dripping sweat from the nearby blaze. The groans of nearby infected…terrified her. Especially the ones being consumed by fire only thirty feet away. She studied one of them collapsing, falling into the raging fuel as the undead…woman burned. A few more sorrowful cries of hunger came from behind, piercing her soul.

The waitress turned, her ponytail bobbing as she aimed over the hood of the car. A trio of dead were walking among the destruction strewn road, their infected eyes locked on the woman. One stumbled, his construction uniform torn to shreds as the former human growled. They all walked into another abandoned car, their minds not even registering the obstruction.

"Rita…hurry up. There's more coming" Cindy warned with a whisper as she centered her revolver on the closest one twenty feet away. The blonde officer pulled herself out of the car, finding two magazines of ammunition. She handed one to Elizabeth, knowing the mayor's daughter had less then a full magazine in her possession.

There was little fanfare as the four moved to the far side of the road near a looted store. It was a Starbucks, the front door hanging open as sprays of blood graced the interior…and pieces of human. Moving forward in a crouch behind another wreck along the shoulder, the four could _hear_ the dead turning to search for them all.

Glass shattered, an arm of rotting flesh reaching out in a desperate swipe toward Cindy. She let out a startled scream, her heart thumping as she stood and backed up. A zombie was starting to crawl out through the door, her face a ribbon of bites and cuts as she growled with hunger.

The blonde waitress fired from barely three feet away, the .38 slug boring through the left eye with a spray of exploding gore.

"Shit! Well…there goes staying quiet!" Rita exclaimed as the trio of undead homed in on the noise…and more from the interior of the coffee shop. The infected among the crackling blaze heard the gunshot, their eyeless sockets looking to the source…and starting to stagger with fire licking at their flesh.

"I'm sorry! It was so close!" Cindy apologized as the four started to run southward along the sidewalk strewn with garbage, glass, and remnants of gore.

"Just keep running" Warren gasped as her bosom heaved with each footfall. They were very distracting due to their size. Weaving toward the middle of the road behind Elliot, the wealthy woman cringed as two more of the undead walked out of a nearby clothing store with the desire to kill. She dodged a swipe from another, the form trapped by a seatbelt of another car as the overweight man snarled from the interior of the wrecked compact vehicle.

"Toward the waterfront. We might be able to find some place to lose them" Edwards urged as he looked toward the end of the road. It turned in a right angle fifty feet ahead, running parallel along the river. A boardwalk lined the waterway, shops and stalls abandoned. He sprinted around the front of a van…and almost died then and there. A zombie lunged from behind the delivery van, its mouth agape for flesh. Elliot barely had enough time to use his elephant rifle as a brace, lodging it beneath the snapping jaws of the zombified amazon worker. He grunted, his body pushed back as the fiend snapped a mere inch from his nose while putrid breath assaulted his senses.

Two gunshots rang out, piercing the terror of the struggle as Elizabeth fired with a tremble. The first round grazed the temple…but the second tore through the ear canal with devastation as the corpse fell to the road.

Elliot looked back with a gasp…his eyes afraid and thankful toward the civilian.

"I owe you one, big time" the man promised before moving again. After all…the pursuing dead hadn't stopped at all.

The three women followed, each occasionally looking back to check on their undead fans. There's easily a dozen…maybe more as the gunfire woke more from their stupor.

"Crap! Where do we go?" Rita asked in an increasing sense of dread. Standing on the boardwalk along the river, she looked toward her north past the stalls and shops…and saw more of the infected swaying and stumbling in the open. Some looked their way, their infected eyes hungry while they started to walk.

Cindy looked around in a panic, her eyes darting to the boardwalk and the street. The dead were coming…dozens of them gathering to feast while they shambled with cries of pained hunger. A few almost looked…unharmed, but the rest were horrors with crusting blood and gaping wounds from bites.

They were thirty feet away…and closing as Cindy raised her .38 at the closest near a an overturned wreck.

"What do we do!?" Elizabeth cried, her hands trembling and shaking with the gun as she stepped backward, her foot nudging an empty can.

"We'll jump!" Elliot answered, his gaze turning toward the waterway. Even if they zombies followed, they couldn't swim. _"At least I hope not…"_

Cindy's eyes grew wider in remembrance. Turning, she sprinted for the railing that lined the waterway and looked down. Six feet below above the waters lapping edge was a maintenance walkway for the city's sewer workers. It was dirty…splotches of dried blood gracing some areas while abandoned garbage lay about…but it was clear.

"THE WALKWAY! OVER THE SIDE!" Cindy urged as she swung her leg over the railing. Rita had fired three times, dropping the closest corpse before she turned and ran toward the barrier.

Cindy dropped, landing in a crouch before raising her weapon to try and cover her friends. She could hear the snarls…the moans of infection over the shambling footsteps.

"HURRY!" she urged as Elizabeth dropped next, her dirty white dress fluttering from the landing. The mayor's daughter let out a gasp of discomfort but stood as Elliot and Rita dropped the small distance…and not a moment too soon.

The first corpse appeared above, a man with part of his scalp hanging down with a dangle of sinew and skin. His nose was gone….probably bitten away as his eyes looked down at the living. He unleashed a rasp, displaying teeth coated in gore and red. Then a woman joined him…and another three men…then more as they started to lean forward over the railing of stainless metalwork and glass.

"Run! Before they spill over!" Rita urged as she lowered her firearm from the horde above. She had contemplated killing a few…but it would be pointless against those numbers. Turning on her heel, she started to run with the others down the concrete path along the riverbanks. Breathing heavily, her nostrils took in the overpowering scent of water while the group raced away.

When they passed the first sewer drainage overflow a hundred feet away…the railing broke under the weight of undead. A hail of glass and infected cries had Elizabeth looking back, her fear rising as many of the corpses fell into the river itself. But some didn't…and struggled to pick themselves up even as more bodies fell from above in a hail of undead flesh.

"Just keep moving. If we lose them, they'll forget about us" Elliot urged, his sweaty palms gripping the rifle with all his might. More rivulets of sweat dripped down his face from the beating sun and the surging adrenaline while his shoe stepped in something…not pleasant. Taking a quick glance back, he saw the dead still trying to untangle themselves as more spilled into the river. Now separated by the length of a football field, the zombies were becoming a nonfactor. He turned back to the path before him, his pace slightly slowing to a jog while another water overflow pipe loomed ahead.

Set into the built up barrier along the river, the stench of rotting flesh was a giveaway as Edwards raised a hand to slow the group. A low growl wavered, cutting through the air as a sewer worker walked into view. The bright construction vest was covered with gore as the stomach hung open, the intestines spilling outward as it reached a hand toward the survivors.

"Not this time, asshole" Elliot assured himself as he flipped his elephant rifle. The zombie lunged, but tripped badly on its own spilt bowels. Edwards struck in that moment, smashing the butt of the rifle into the dead man's face. Bone and cartilage crunched, breaking under the force as it staggered. Pulling back, the policeman struck again as more of the face caved in with a sickening horror. Falling to the concrete in a flail, Elliot hammered the weapon into the skull one more time…and caved in the grotesque face with a gasp of exertion.

Standing up fully, the officer tried to wipe the bits of viscera from his weapon as he took in a lungful of moisture laden air. "Like…hell I'm using my baby to take down one shitty zombie…" he finished to himself before his gaze cast to the circular spillway.

It stank…and was pitch dark after twenty feet.

"Should we go into the sewer? The zombies might not follow us" Elizabeth asked as she peered into the suffocating gloom. She couldn't help but feel…unnerved by it's atmosphere.

A distant growl reverberated off the walls…almost reptilian in nature…and a tremble in the ground that was felt in their souls. Whatever had just caused that was…big. Too big for any of them to handle.

"No…whatever that just was…no" Rita exclaimed as she moved on, not giving the second path underground a second thought as the four adults pressed onward along the shoreline.

Minutes blended together, pushing the group further from the boardwalk and closer to the university and the adjoining marina. They passed under another bridge their eyes drawn upward to a truck that had punched through the guard rail. It was leaning precariously, the front end mangled while a zombie beat against the door. It lost its footing, falling like a bag of flesh toward the water as they passed underneath the span ripe with the infected. The shade was a relief from the beating ball of fire in the sky, giving them a chance to cool as they stopped for a few moments in the concrete tunnel. The shoreline support was a massive slab of material on the left, almost boxing them in with the river barrier on the right.

"God…I can _smell _them" Rita whispered in disgust emanating from the roadway above. To cause all of it…there had to be hundreds up there roasting in the hot sun.

"All those poor people…" Cindy added, her nose wrinkling in the shade under the bridge. A pile of guts was spread out near the concrete wall on her right, buzzing with flies and rot that made her gulp. The waitress knew she should be used to it…but in a way was glad she hadn't become immune to the horror around her.

New groans of the undead had the four raising their weapons, eyes peeled for the infected as their senses strained. Walking slowly under the bridge in the shadows, the four soon emerged in the sunlight.

A small yacht had collided with the middle bridge support a short distance away, its hull taking on water as a dozen dead stumbled on the tilting deck. They saw the humans, a hunger in their eyes as the first one strode to the railing. The zombified woman fell, splashing into the water without a care as more followed in her footsteps.

"Forget them. They won't even be able to climb out of the river anyway" Edwards told the women as he took a step forward.

The water near the shoreline erupted in an explosion of movement before something landed only ten feet away from Elliot with a heavy thud of weight. A second uproar of liquid followed, revealing a second horror that landed near Rita and Cindy behind him.

"No…what are they!?" Cindy lightly shouted as she aimed at the foe before her. Her lips trembled…a quiver in her voice as she took a step back.

It was amphibian…scaled like a frog with blue skin. The front was a dirty white of scales while the chin was an off red. Long arms dangled downward to the ground, webbed hands sticking to the concrete as powerful legs quivered in anticipation. The mouth opened, revealing rows of deadly teeth and strands of flesh from previous feeding.

"Who cares! Shoot them!" Elliot hollered out. Rifle pressed to his shoulder, the police man didn't flinch as the beast charged toward him with it's long arms reaching to grab and a sickly roar like tearing webbing.

The rifle roared fire and lead, slamming into his shoulder like a hammer. The heavy slug tore through the opened maw of the abomination, shattering teeth and blowing out the back of the head in a spray of viscera.

"Don't let it reach you!" Rita shouted in fear as she stepped back and fired, her gunshots mixing in with Cindy and Elizabeth. Blooms of red erupted from bullet impacts, but the pistol rounds only caused light damage as it swung one of its long limbs. Cindy dodged in a roll toward the barrier wall, the webbed hand tugging at her dirty clothes.

She failed to come up, her feet slipping on some strands of intestine from who knows where. Crying out as she re-fell, the waitress tried to roll on her back as gunfire cracked.

The hunter was coming for her…the weakest prey of them all as she scrambled to raise her revolver in time. Hard to believe only seconds had passed since they emerged from the river.

"Save your ammo, dammit!" Elliot roared out as he turned from killing the first hunter. Reloading the single shot weapon, the officer brought up the rifle in brief moments before squeezing the trigger once more. It staggered against his beaten shoulder, mixing with other aches and pains while the bullet tore through the gamma's chest with a terrible force while throwing it backward. A gaping hole appeared, strands of sinew and muscle torn from the passage as it thrashed and screamed in its death throes.

"Are you alright, Cindy?" The man asked while extending his hand. She took it, feeling herself pulled up as she nodded with a smile.

It was short lived as the short gun battle against the hunters had alerted the undead on the bridge above to the human's below. It was like a wave of protest and sorrow as the first corpse pressed against the guardrail above. Then three…then ten…they were all gathering as the front bodies were slowly being crushed under the weight of others from behind.

"Yeah…we should run…" Rita barely stated as she followed her own advice…and started to flee with the others. The first zombie fell ten seconds later, a horrible sound of slapping flesh and snapping bones as the zombified male impacted the concrete walkway. It tried to stand but was crushed as more of the dead climbed over the railing above to join in the pursuit of living flesh.

The sound of bodies breaking was haunting for Cindy as she ran with Elliot, the four desperately trying to increase the distance between themselves and the infected. God…she was sick of running.

And that's all they did…they ran for a mile along the maintenance walkway of concrete as the dead wandered the streets just above their heads. The stench of rotting flesh…burning infernos that consumed whole neighborhoods…and the occasional gunshot and scream. They heard it all as they sprinted in the hopes of reaching the marina.

"I think I see it!" Elizabeth called out, her breath short and tired. Sweat had made her dress cling to her body, which would have been enticing if not for the filth across the fabric…and how much her large bosom hurt from this sprint. She really found them annoying sometimes.

"Thank god…" Elliot smiled as his hopes rose…then quickly faded as they got closer and closer to the university's marina. Slowing down as they entered the property through a broken gate of mesh wire, their demeanor crumbled at the sight.

Three infected students were feasting on a corpse by the dock, the snapping of jaws and chewing a ghastly sight to behold. The victim had been a security guard based on the uniform…but with his intestines being pulled out like bloody strings, the four knew there was no point in even trying approach.

It was the state of the small river bound marina that had brought their spirits to a crumble. There were barely any boats left. And the ones that were had been too heavily damaged by panicking humans or monsters. They had settled…sinking to the soft underwater soil as a sailboat burned at the end. A body stood in the inferno, simply burning as the four realized there was no escape to be found here.

"Dammit…" Elliot cursed lightly as he studied the ruin. Keeping a heavy grip on his rifle as the three undead slowly rose from their meal, he just felt…lost as the zombies started to walk his way along the quay.

"Elliot…get back" Rita warned as she tugged on his sleeve to pull him away from the monsters. She knew how devastating this was so soon after the Clock Tower.

"We…we have to find a way out of this city!" Cindy cried out as she stepped up, her voice cracking with frustration and exhaustion. Aiming her .38 special at the closest corpse that was already sporting numerous bites and a stomach stab wound, the kind hearted waitress fired twice.

The first bullet missed, flying past the first to lodge in the throat of the second zombie with a sickening slap of flesh. The second was aimed better, grazing the temple of the first as bone fragments flew…but Cindy was no marksman as Elizabeth and Rita stepped up to help deal with the shambling threat of infected.

The fin cut through the water, sleek and silent toward the quay as it drew toward the sounds of gunfire. And gunfire meant…meat for Neptune. Mutated by the virus, the shark had grown…and grown to almost thirty feet in length. Senses heightened he could _smell_ the nearby blood outside of his natural environment.

Rita was about to fire at the approaching dead when the shoreline exploded like a geyser. A maw of teeth almost the size of her whole body…a gaping hole of necrotic rot inside the mouth had her moving before she knew she was moving. Adrenaline surged, fueled by fear as the police woman dodged away from the quay with a started yell along with the other survivors. They were splashed with water, laden with who knows what as the liquid flew outwards.

The teeth came down…right on the three dead as the shark pulled away with his new meal…and part of the concrete barrier, leaving streaks of gore and gouges where the infected had been.

"Sharks…FUCKING ZOMBIE SHARKS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Elliot roared as he stood up, river water dripping down his soaked uniform as he aimed the elephant gun at the shoreline. He was tired…and angry…and so sick of all this shit as the fin reappeared one hundred feet offshore in the middle of the river. It turned, cutting through the water like a knife as it aimed for the dock.

"Elliot! Forget it! It can't get us on land!" Rita shouted from a staircase leading up toward the main building of the university. Watching her partner nod, the man turned to follow the women up the short flight as the shark continued to swim in the endless hunt for meat.

A rusting door at the top of the stairs hung open, the surface flecked with blood while the four approached. They could ear distant cries of undead, but the four weren't that concerned since this part of the building was fairly secluded. Not to mention that the entire campus property was protected by a brick wall and resting on a small hill…there was a chance the building could be relatively clear of the undead. Hopefully. Either way, they were safe for the moment even with that shark circling the waterway behind them.

"Maybe it's a good thing there weren't any boats…that shark was huge" Elizabeth said with the benefit of hindsight. If they had found one…that terrifying creature would have eaten them whole. Just the though of it made her skin crawl with renewed fear at how close they had all been to becoming fish food.

"Your probably right…but what do we do now?" Cindy asked as she peered into the basement of the building beyond. Electric lights still worked…surprisingly as she pushed the door open further. More drying blood greeted her, some of it streaked across the nearby wall and shelves of boating supplies. Smells of motor oil, grease, and other chemicals overpowered her nose as the woman stepped fully into the rectangular room.

"I don't know…try to find a safe place to rest up for a while?" Edwards suggested. Eyes darting while he stepped into the room, the policeman felt his shoulders sag lightly from the lack of…anything. Sure, there was some dried blood on the floor near the exit…but it was silent as he massaged his temples.

There were two possible ways to go Elizabeth noted as she stepped into the middle of the room. A few kayaks were stacked to her left along the wall…still and unused while life jackets hung. In normal times, she would enjoy the exercise and activity on the nearby river…but not now. Dismissing the thought of a happier summer, the mayor's daughter looked at the closed elevator door…then the manhole cover set in the floor toward the upper right. It was partially open, a prybar laying nearby as unknown slimes and ichor covered the pavement nearby. There was no light coming from that hole…and she didn't want to find out. Looking away from the manhole cover and the insidious darkness, she studied the closed elevator doors. A severed hand sat near the doors, the muscles torn and stiff while flies buzzed and ate at other pieces of gore spread near the lift. "I think the elevator would be safer…" she lightly told the others with a grimace of dread.

"No argument here" Rita supported while striding forward toward the call button. Pressing it, the small box lit up as Williams stepped to the side out of sight. "Get ready…it could be packed with zombies" the shorter blonde warned while taking a defensive stance.

Elliot, Cindy and Elizabeth prepared themselves for the coming horror as the machinery rumbled and squeaked beyond. Twenty seconds later the doors slid open as lights flickered, strobing between flashes as Cindy gulped.

"Do we…we really have to ride in this?" she asked, her voice cracking at the sheer…_bloodbath _in the elevator. Gore and entrails covered the floor and walls, spread out in arcs of viscera while the scent of fear, terror and death seemed to justflow outward in a nightmare.

Rita moved toward the lift, her weapon raised as eyes darted back and forth. The smell made her want to gag…to throw up as the rot buzzed with feasting flies. Looking upward as her eyes watered, there was even some splotches of red on the ceiling…but no monsters. "It's safe…I guess" The policewoman reported as she stepped in. Her shoe squished something…something she didn't want to guess at.

The others filed in, their gazes trying to dismiss the carnage and push away the stench of death. Rita pushed the button for the first floor, her throat constricting as the upper light continued to flash on and off.

"Unghhh…it reminds me of those Halloween houses…except…ugh…" Elliot started to say…but clamped up as the elevator started to struggle upward on old machinery. He could _taste_ the rotting stench as he breathed through his mouth in an effort to not puke.

"Elliot…just shut up" Rita begged as she shifted away from the walls toward the center with the other females. Her hand shook…holding her beretta tight as a pile of guts shifted near the corner.

"Please…please get me out of here…" Cindy whispered to herself. The kind woman hated this…she just wanted to see her parents again…their cute little Pomeranian her mother had adopted this past summer…and no more death…no more monsters.

"_Dad…how could you leave your own daughter to see all this you bastard" _Miss Warren asked herself for the hundredth time since this all happened.

The lift stopped, doors creaking open agonizingly slow. Cindy didn't even wait for them to fully open as she ran out, her weapon raised for any waiting monsters.

But there were none in the cavernous main hall of Raccoon University.

No zombies…no undead dogs or giant spiders…nothing except for a well maintained wooden floor that met burgundy walls and portraits of former administrators.

Elliot walked forward, his uniform damp and dirty while his muscles ached. Keeping his large rifle pointed before him, he checked the area around the front desk. Twin staircases ran to the second floor on either side, their oaken railings finely crafted before leading to a wrapped around walkway that lined the entire room.

Sunlight poured in from several higher windows, creating a beam of dancing dust while Cindy walked toward reception.

There was nothing of use except a few office supplies and a powered down computer…not even a speck of blood.

"This…is unnerving" Rita admitted as nothing moved…nothing attacked them from some unknown direction. Taking a slow walk around the perimeter, she passed two closed doors set into the East wall…then eventually a closed one along the West wall

'**SECURITY'**

A murmur of voices filtered through the heavier door, making the police woman stop in her tracks. "Hey! I think there might be people in here!" she called out while reaching for the handle.

"Did you hear someone?" Elizabeth inquired while jogging up, her bosom shifting with annoyance as the group quickly gathered.

"Yeah…could be other survivors" Williams explained. _"Even if it's just one…I'm still an officer and I took an oath to serve and protect"_ Twisting the knob, she prayed that Marvin, Wendy, Jill and all the others were still alive…but there was nothing to be done about it now. Pushing the door open, the voice grew louder as she walked into the security room.

A security cage hung open across from the door, the shelves mostly bare…but she could still see some ammunition and other supplies they could go through. Turning her gaze while keeping her weapon raised for monsters or…hostile survivors, she found the room a long, narrow rectangle. There were a few desks and a small break area at the back with forgotten food and drinks, but the main thing was the wall of security screens to her left.

The source of the voices as the main one showed a news conference with a man taking the podium…the President of the United States.

"_My fellow American's. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that the chemical spill in Raccoon City has become untenable to contain. This spill causes hallucinations…extreme violence and the complete breakdown of sanity in its victims. I have been informed by the Umbrella Corporation and the military it has contaminated the water supply of Raccoon City…a place home to over one hundred thousand people" The president paused, his graying hair at the temples slick with sweat under the intense lights as his inner demons struggled. _

_He straightened his back, eyes growing firm. "At six a.m. on October 3__rd__, I am ordering a nuclear strike to prevent this spill from spreading beyond the borders of Raccoon City. God Bless America"_

The four were frozen…shocked while terror filled their hearts. In less than a day, they would be dead…reduced to ash along with everybody else.

It was Elizabeth that spoke first, breaking the silence after several minutes. "We…we have to escape. We have to let the world know what happened here…" The beautiful woman vowed, her voice a tremble of horror, anger, and fear as her friends stood in the abandoned university of Raccoon City with the hordes of infected just beyond the gates…

**Yeah…short chapter I know. But I want to make their final exit chapter a good one and not feel rushed. Next one will probably follow Jill, Ada and Leon as they head to their own escape path then Wendy and Co. after. THEN! It will be the final three chapters of escape! So yeah…I might just concentrate and finish this whole thing lol. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it so leave a review if you'd like!**

**Elliot: Well…at least we don't have to deal with that shark?**

**Rita: That's…your take away from of all of this? Umbrella is trying to cover their tracks and your worried about a shark!?**

**Elliot: Have you seen shark week!? **

**Elizabeth: Why couldn't I be with Leon…that hunk… *Depressed sigh***

**Cindy: Maybe we should concentrate on finding a way out?**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	16. Uptown

**Hello! I am back with more Resident Evil to be devoured by your greedy eyeholes! This one will follow another of the groups toward their final exit chapter. I don't know how long it will be…but probably more then 5k hahaha. **

**Other than that…no big news or issues aside from our world going to shit everyday.**

**I still don't own media or anything else!**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 16: Uptown**

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**October 2****nd**** 1:19 p.m. **

Leon stayed low in a crouch, his hands gripped tight around the handle of his pistol as he peered over the rim of the raised tree garden that lined the roadway along the river boardwalk. Keeping his breathing silent as a few infected walked past, the male glanced toward their destination a full street away.

The tiny horde was still gathered at the base of that ladder where Jill and Ada had stood, their snarls and moans echoing along the road. But the two women had moved away from that raised fire escape landing…hopefully safely.

There simply was no way to reach them with a few dozen of the former citizens of this city clawing and crying for flesh at that point…so Leon had swung around, avoiding any confrontations.

The dead moved on, their jaws slack…and leaving the alleyway between two buildings devoid of threats. He looked one more time, but the zombies were all drawn toward the mindless noise of their brethren. Lifting himself from his crouch, the rookie officer lightly padded across the road past a few abandoned vehicles.

Reaching the narrow alleyway, Leon was distinctly aware of the strewn trash, a few empty bullet casings…and a severed leg near a pile of overturned garbage cans. Swallowing at the sight, he gave one last look toward the river…and prayed that he had managed to kill the Nemesis with that tanker explosion.

"I doubt it though…" He muttered as he turned and started to walk down the narrow corridor. Brick lined either side, one section splashed with drying gore that buzzed and stank.

A familiar rasp of hunger had him raising his firearm in a heartbeat, eyes looking past the sights as his M-16 dug into his back from the strap around his shoulder. Stepping forward, Leon felt the fear rising as the clanking of wire mesh and undead hunger grew louder from a narrow intersection up ahead.

There were three of them, gnawing and chewing on a closed fencing gate from the right-hand direction of the T-intersection between buildings. Two women and a man…their eyes dead and lifeless. Upon seeing Leon who glanced at the left path, they grew agitated from the warm flesh just a few feet away.

"Sorry…I'm not on the menu today" Leon quipped back as he turned left onto the pathway that led to a closed door set at the top of three steps. His words only seemed to anger the dead man as fingers caked with gore grasped the wire barrier of fencing. It rattled, shaking with strain as Kennedy reached his destination…then broke with a crash of falling bodies and clanging metal.

The officer didn't bother to wait as he pulled the door open with a yank and stepped inside with haste. Flipping the lock, he moved away even as the rasps grew louder from beyond. Stepping further into the building, he prayed that it would hold them off.

Another snarl grabbed his attention…a snarl much to close as the man spun on his heel. He was in another restaurant, the kitchen a mess of spilt food, rot, and blood.

Two of the dead were at the far end of the narrow kitchen, bodies covered in horrendous bites as the two former cooks staggered and stumbled forward. One stepped on some entrails…the gore slick with red as the woman groaned from the sight of Leon.

"Dammit!" The officer cursed while aiming down the sights at the closer male…who was missing his entire face. It was a haunting sight from twenty feet away as the Matilda barked fire. The 9mm slug tore through the forehead, ending the dead man in a spray of viscera…but Leon was already shifting his aim before the body even hit the ground. The firearm jumped lightly in his hands, but his skill was barely needed from fifteen feet as the second zombie pitched backward from a fresh hole through her left eye.

Tendrils of smoke rising from the barrel, the man barely had time to admire his handiwork as the back door shuddered. Grunts and beating palms urged him along as more cries of infected came from the main restaurant.

"Seriously…can't they just give up?" Leon asked himself while sprinting forward past his two kills. Pushing past the swinging doors, his annoyance grew from the half dozen or so undead making their way toward him from the tangle of overturned tables and booths washed in drying blood. Two of them were kids…no older than Wendy…but their innocence was gone. Replaced by death and the evil of Umbrella while they walked with pieces of flesh torn from their necks.

"Fuck!" Looking back the way he came, he knew it was only a matter of time before that trio broke in. The zombies were still encroaching…their eyes boring into him as Leon contemplated the bathroom behind him with rising fear.

There was a ladder tucked into a small alcove beyond the woman's restroom…right near a mop and bucket. He surged toward it, gripping and climbing upward as the back door broke in a splinter of rendered wood.

Leon reached the roof hatch just as those two zombified teenagers crowded at the base of the ladder. Looking down, he saw the hollowness of their eyes…and felt pity…sorrow for their state.

"_There's nothing you can do, Leon. All you can do is reunite with Jill and Ada…and survive to tell the tale of what happened here" _

Sighing, he pushed open the roof hatch as sunlight poured downward toward the gathered dead below. He hated that he couldn't even put them out of their misery while he climbed onto the roof. Pulling himself upward with a grunt of exertion, the officer closed the hatch moments later.

"Leon! Over here!"

The voice of Jill from the left almost had him jump, drawing his gaze.

He walked over to the edge of the roof, a smile on his face from spotting the beautiful officer across the way. "Glad to see you both are safe" he admitted while Ada stood near Jill, her eyes always on the lookout for monsters.

They were on another fire escape, the metal green from oxidization as the stench of rotting flesh and hunger wafted up from below.

"I don't suppose you have a way to reach us, stud?" Ada inquired while looking over the edge at the pedestrian shopping walkway below. It was one of the many non-vehicle roads that covered Raccoon City…and just like any other place in this city…crawling with infected as they stumbled around. Four were feeding on a fifth corpse near the entrance of an antique shop, the slapping and tearing of flesh a horror to them all.

Leon looked around, his gaze falling on a sign of steel that bridged both sides over the area below. Set at the corner of the restaurant, it linked across toward the building of Jill and Ada.

'_**Raven Gate Shopping District'**_

They were big letters painted a sky blue…but damn it was narrow Leon observed as he approached. "I think I can cross here…" he informed the two women as he studied the framework. It looked sturdy, but one slip up would mean his death. Looking downward toward the brick lined shopping district, he knew that if he didn't break anything, those dead would be on him in seconds.

"Leon…" Jill warned, knowing what the man intended as he gripped the spanning sign.

"Just try to cover me if I fuck this up" He laughed awkwardly with dregs of nervousness. Holstering his pistol, the handsome officer hefted himself onto the back of the sign as he started to slowly side-climb across the chasm of buildings. Gripping the metalwork of the interlocking gridiron, Leon could feel the M-16 thumping against his back like a reassuring weight as the dead snarled below.

Ada heard it first as Leon reached the halfway point between the structures…a barely audible _clicking_ of mandibles. Of scrabbling feet that grew louder with each passing moment.

"Shit!" Jill uttered as her eyes locked onto the duo of insect monsters scuttled into view. Coming from around the corner wall of the next building past the restaurant, they were as horrible as Jill remembered from the Pharmacy. The off brown carapace…hairy legs of disgust while saliva and drool dripped from the proboscis that was starting to emerge past the mandibles.

"HURRY LEON!" the female officer shouted as she tried to aim past her future boyfriend as the monsters climbed onto the restaurant roof.

"I'm trying!" he shot back while increasing his pace across the gap. Leon looked down…and saw several of the infected looking up and grasping the air. They had seen him and wanted to feed.

Three gunshots snapped across the narrow road, striking one of the beasts as Ada tried to cover the rookie officer. The rounds were ineffective. Two sparked off the hardened carapace armor while the third grazed a leg, spilling blackish blood as they came on in a frenzy of feet.

Leon reached the others, his face a crease of worry as he stepped down onto the fire escape and spun toward the two horrors beyond. They were sickening…clacking and crying with the dead below as they stalked back and forth near the roof edge…then the first started to climb onto the impromptu bridge to continue the pursuit of living flesh. Bringing the M-16 to bear, Kennedy pressed the buttstock into his shoulder while securing his target in a single flourish. Three pulls of the trigger hammered the rifle into his shoulder while fire spat lead, sending the munitions to bury deep in the head of the lead abomination. Ichor sprayed with insectile screams as it fell to the road in a flail of limbs and anguish. The impact broke its back, sealing its fate while Leon aimed toward the second.

Two more 5.56 bullets tore into the exposed flank of the monster, effectively killing it as vital organs and tissue were rendered by ruin.

Watching it flail as strands of smoke wafted from the barrel, Leon breathed a small sigh of relief as the immediate threat passed.

"That was some nice shooting" Ada complimented as the dead began to feast on the creature below with the familiar gusto of horror. Scrunching up her face, she turned toward the other two.

"It was close range. Barely thirty feet. After all, I did receive top marks for marksmanship in my graduating class" He replied with a hint of smugness and pride before wiping excess sweat from his brow.

"It wasn't **that** impressive…" Jill butted in with a small smile as the trio enjoyed the chance to breathe and rest for a minute.

"I thought you liked me? And yet, here you are, diminishing my shooting skills" Leon replied with a mock and warm chuckle.

Jill playfully punched Leon in the shoulder, the two completely ignoring the snarls of the undead below as Ada just shook her head. She would not admit that she was slightly jealous.

"If you two are done, I did find some supplies during that showdown with big and ugly" the Asian-american woman stated as she pulled some items from her hip pouch. Handing a full magazine of 5.56 rounds to Leon, she brushed past the male and gave a box of six flame rounds to Jill. Why the police even had this in a SWAT van, she couldn't say, but then…this whole city made no sense. "I'm keeping the extra bullets and flashbang" the former spy stated simply.

"Thanks Ada. And speaking of Mr. Ugly, we should keep moving away from the river…" Jill suggested, her brown eyes watching the nearby waterway and just imagining that creature bursting from below to hunt her once more.

"_Please be dead…Please be dead"_ she prayed to whoever listened as she turned and started to lead the small group along the wrap-around fire walkway. Passing a familiar corner, the path led straight…or up a small staircase to an adjoining building's roof on her right.

They went right, crossing the desolate roof and leaving the cries and feasting of the undead behind even as more howls and moans drifted through the afternoon air.

A distant scream echoed past them from some unknown location, but they knew there was nothing to be done for that poor soul. Reaching the next building that butted right against the current one, the three found nothing but a ladder leading upward toward another fire-escape that rose five stories above the ground.

Jill took the first rung, pulling herself upward before moving toward the next level. Passing a window darkened by the current calamity, she was startled into a gasp as a young boy appeared and started to pound on the glass. Face a shred of missing flesh and missing one arm, the zombie growled relentlessly as it tried to bite Jill through the pane material.

"Hurry up you two" the officer said emotionlessly, her heart distraught at another young life ruined by Umbrella. Boot's clanging up the steps as her companions followed, she reached the roof…and had her berretta aimed at the closest zombie in a heartbeat.

There were two of them standing near the heater unit a dozen feet away, its metalwork splattered with droplets of red as flies buzzed in the heat. Some were crawling over the faces of these corpses, just eating their content of rot.

Jill fired twice, her firearm bucking in trained hands as the two rounds blew threw the cranium of the first in a spray of breaking bone and brains. Shifting her aim as the second man staggered toward her on a broken ankle, the S.T.A.R.S. officer tried not to breathe in the stench of decay wafting off the body…and put a third bullet between it's eyes.

Scanning for anymore threats as Leon and Ada climbed to the roof, all Jill saw was the dead…buzzing flies, and the heat of this blazing October day.

"Any idea on where we should go from here?" Ada asked while she strode to the far edge of the building. A ladder led down the other side to yet another structure wedged against this one, this one a four story building. Looking onward, this entire block was a connected ridge of different level roofs, fire-escapes, and ladders all interconnected until the next street several hundred feet away. _"At least it's relatively safer up here…"_ the spy concluded as she studied the bandage on her arm with regret. _"I should've been nicer to Wendy…she saved my life…and now she could be dead for all I know"_

There were a few lone zombies scattered about the rooftops, but they were usually by themselves and sparsely spread out unlike the city streets below.

Jill joined her with Leon, her finger pointing westward toward the heavily wooded Arklay Mountains…and the raised freeway that led to the Arklay Tunnel that cut through a nearby mountain. It was a major thoroughfare of the city for commerce, industry, and residents, linking Raccoon City to the rest of the region.

"If we can reach the freeway…we might be able to find a car and escape through the tunnel"

"Won't it just be a clogged mess of accidents and the infected?" Leon inquired, his eyes scrutinizing the raised band of concrete a mile away.

"Getting there won't be easy either…" Ada added in, the low moan of infected throats flowing on the breeze. Just traveling the city streets would be a nightmare.

"I know. But it's the only option we have left. We don't know where the others are…or if it's even possible to regroup. The loss of the helicopter…we have to try for the freeway if we want to escape" Jill replied back, her voice stressed with fatigue and horror. Eyes panning the skyline burning with the embers of enflamed neighborhoods, she knew it was only a matter of time before they would be overwhelmed and killed.

Leon nodded, his handsome face marred with some grime and sweat. "If you think that's our best chance…then let's go for it" He smiled tiredly, his demeanor trying to reassure the other officer.

Ada sighed, her free hand absentmindedly scratching the bandage on her left forearm. "I don't have any other ideas…I guess we are out of options at this point" Standing up, she moved toward the ladder and began her descent to the next roof to continue their journey across the dead city.

Reaching the end of the apartment and business buildings didn't take long…maybe half an hour of traversing the ladders, walkways, and escapes over the different building heights before the three reached the final building at the end of the street…and losing the occasional infected behind them. After all…ammunition was a commodity they couldn't expend on every single corpse they saw…only direct threats.

Acrid smoke billowed from below, a maelstrom of heat, ash, and fumes that was consuming the far left road as Jill peered over the edge of the six story building. There were only three of the undead she could see, all of them hunched over a corpse near the inferno of burning cars and buildings that blasted her face with heat even from this distance. The opposite side of the road was deserted…aside from the flails of destruction.

"The road looks pretty clear" Jill informed the others as she moved toward the fire-escape on the right side of the roof. Stepping on with a hollow clang of booted feet, she gripped her sidearm as the snarls from infected throats rose up from the pedestrian thoroughfare below. Pressed up against the side of a garbage truck, there were easily a few dozen beating the massive vehicle or stumbling around like drunks of rot.

"Whoever blocked that road…I'd buy them beer for a year" Leon admitted as the three started the decent down the steps toward the infected. The windows of each passing floor were dark…or broken with drying pools of blood inside. The trio hurried to the last level that sat right above the abandoned sanitation vehicle, their presence drawing the attention of many former citizens.

"I'm a rum girl myself" Ada input as she watched Jill step onto truck with Leon. Quickly following, the stunning Asian woman looked down at the moaning corpses trapped in the corridor of shops and cafes. Dead eyes…gasping mouths caked with gore and strands of flesh from feeding…whoever they had been had been destroyed by this damned virus.

Ada turned away, climbing down the side ladder to join the others in the street. Broken glass crunched beneath her feet, shifting as the raging inferno burned to the left one hundred feet away. The trio of dead were still feasting, their flesh cooking like raw pork. Wong dismissed them, her feet already carrying her after Jill and Leon down the open road to the right. The fact there were no dead this way was…surprising as the three passed broken store fronts and more abandoned wrecks.

"You know the freeway is west of us, right?" Wong asked Jill in a low voice as the trio passed a small lawyer office. The door had been broken in…glass shattered as tears of gore dragged across the floor to the darkened interior. Just because it looked abandoned now didn't mean there weren't infected humans just waiting to stumble out and attack them.

"I'm sorry that the normal roadways to get there are crawling with undead, fires and abandoned traffic? But thanks for pointing out the direction we need to go" Jill replied with some stressful snark as her eyes darted around. Every building…every looted store and alleyway could have some fresh horror just waiting to pounce…and it was nerve wracking. The moans and cries of the nearby dead on the wind…the heat of this damn day along with the stench of decay.

"We'll find a way there. Just keep it down" Leon ordered as he stepped past another car on his right that had rear ended another along this desolate roadway. A dead woman sat inside, her head pierced by a chunk of metal…which was probably a mercy instead of turning. The male slowed, vision peering ahead toward a bend that turned westward a few hundred feet ahead. A few zombies were near that corner, standing still or barely moving as they stared at the beating sun.

"Let's see if we can sneak past them" Jill suggested in barely a whisper. Crouching down, all three knew it was the safest bet as they moved like cats along the sidewalk.

It was slow going. Not only did they have to be silent, but they had to be wary of any open doorway or broken store front for monsters waiting for them to lower their guard. But after twenty minutes, the three made it to the bend before crouching behind a flower van along the curved sidewalk.

The smell of death and rot was awful…overpowering to the point they almost gagged. Jill rose up, looking through the passenger window toward the roadway that would lead them straight to the freeway and one of its onramps.

Hundreds…hundreds of snarling, milling corpses choked the road westward as the zombies stumbled and swayed between abandoned cars and trucks. Distant lights strobed red and blue several blocks away, a lure of sight. Some almost looked sick with the flu…but most had been torn into with missing skin and muscle…ripped flesh and drying blood coating the clothes they had died in.

She ducked back, chest rising with climbing fear as fresh dread crossed her eyes. Gripping her pistol tightly, she knew that there was no way to get through that kind of horde. A deep breath was needed as Leon and Ada each took a look.

Their reactions were the same.

"We'll need to take the alley's…there is no way we can make it past the first few dozen" Jill told the others with an audible whisper of horror. Looking past Ada, the officer spotted a small pizzeria set among the row of buildings. The outdoor tables were overturned, splashed with blood and ruined food that buzzed as pieces of patrons covered the stained sidewalk. "Through there…low and quiet" She urged before she sprinted the twenty feet to the broken front window. Her fear rose as she stepped over the sill, her boots crunching more glass that sounded louder than gunshots in her ears. Moving toward the nearest wall as the others joined her, Jill peered back out at the nearby horde.

They hadn't seen them run. All of them were still inhabiting that west bound roadway with mindless loyalty as Jill breathed a small sigh of relief. The woman ignored the horror around her in the dining room, sidestepping a pile of chewed intestines as she raised her firearm and started to the rear of the restaurant. Chewing could be heard…a sickening slurping of tearing skin and muscle that rose her senses even higher.

Jill stepped into the employee area past the threshold. The large oven for cooking ran perpendicular like a T along the food prep area….and showed two employees crouched over another eating with horrific gusto along the far wall.

Jill hurried on, not giving the two zombies a chance to notice her group as she moved past the walk in freezer and refrigerator rooms.

The eating continued undisturbed as the trio approached the rear exit. She pushed it open, revealing a dirty alleyway strewn with garbage and refuse. But this detail was forgotten by the woman as a zombified cook rasped out barely five feet away. His neck was a ribbon of torn muscle and blood, sinew flowing downward as the larger man moved to grab the S.T.A.R.S. officer.

Jill reacted, firing point blank into the former man's face as the 9mm bullet tore through his rancid eye and brain in an explosion of matter and viscous fluid.

"Fuck!" she uttered in distress from the use of gunfire.

"Great! Now they know we're here!" Ada admonished as she and Leon heard the zombies inside stir and growl with the prospect of fresh food. Slamming the exit door shut, the three started to run for all they were worth down the narrow alleyway.

"I'm sorry I didn't let it bite me, Ada! Next time you lead the way!" Jill shot back as the small group ran.

"Quiet!" Leon hissed out, his face flushed as the nearby horde seemed to grow restless. "If we stay quiet, we might be able to lose them" he urged while pumping his legs.

For once, the two women listened to the rookie as they sprinted like their lives depended on it through the back alleys of the city…

**5:53 p.m. Near the freeway**

Stepping around the corner of the building, Ada found the street beyond populated with only a few zombies as they fed upon a helpless victim thirty feet away on the left. Situated near a utility truck, it looked like the driver had tried to flee…but failed as the dead continued to tear and chomp the viscera of their victim. One of them was pulling out the abdominal organs like a horrific pasta, eating and gulping with single minded enjoyment.

Exhaling deeply as copious sweat snaked rivers down her cheeks and skin, she knew they needed to find a place to rest after running across almost a mile of this nightmarish hellhole.

The three of them had managed to lose that horde through the alleyways and side streets…but there was always more dead to fight…to run from and avoid as their ammunition supplies dwindled. They each had used at least a full magazine each on their journey in desperate situations…a use that preserved their lives.

Moving to the right side of the street, Ada started to take in more details of their surroundings while Jill and Leon crept up to join her in a small alcove of a boarded-up storefront.

Any semblance of the natural roadways of this city was gone at the four-way intersection fifty feet away. The west and eastbound roads were completely blocked off by the familiar clogs of accidents and wrecks. There were some infected trapped between the cars and trucks…but they were a non-factor. A construction site loomed at the far corner past the intersection, the steel girders of the frame extending skyward while the crane stood still. And it was right next to the freeway overpass that loomed above like salvation.

"If we can reach the top…we might be able to cross right onto the freeway" Leon whispered with dregs of fatigue. Grime and some fresh patters of ichor graced his dirty uniform from some close calls, but he remained unharmed.

"That's what I was thinking too…" Jill input. A fresh smudge of grease graced her forehead, a trail of stink that the woman hadn't bothered to even wipe away. She was just as tired, filthy, and sweaty everywhere else, so another smudge didn't matter.

The three moved out, creeping along the right sidewalk past abandoned newspapers and trash as they avoided the small feeding frenzy near the truck. Putting a line of cars between themselves and the undead, the three survivors kept moving with practiced silence toward the construction site.

Ada passed the pile-up of wrecks blocking the East-bound road, a wrinkling smell of gas and death as a zombified woman tried to crawl through the broken windshield of her S.U.V. in the middle of the carnage. Her right arm was gone at the elbow…nothing but torn skin and sinew that only added to the sorrow of her undead wails.

Wong ignored the corpse, stepping over a pile of shattered glass while keeping a heavy vigil for more immediate monsters. None came out as she reached the chain-link fence of the site that was starting to be cast in the coming shadows of dusk.

They hurried inside the yard, bypassing forgotten equipment and gear strewn about as they homed in on the worker elevator that would take them to the top. The crunching of uneven feet past the large crane made the three hurry as several rasps of hunger crawled up their spines.

Eight of the infected appeared from around the piece of machinery and the nearby office trailers, most of them former workers as evidenced by their orange vests and hardhats.

"Just get on the lift!" Ada gasped out as the three ran toward the elevator. Gripping her pistol as the small horde homed in on the group, she could feel the fear rising again as they stepped onto the platform. Leon rolled the security gate shut, a strain of effort as the male grunted…with the closest abomination only ten feet away.

"Get us moving, Jill!" Leon urged as the first corpse snarled and pressed himself against the security barrier. Hooking rotting fingers between the diamond gaps, his mouth was a maw of rotting breath and broken teeth. The other seven quickly joined in the symphony of painful hunger…their eyes ripe with infection as they bit and clawed at the metal barrier to reach the human's inside.

Jill flipped the switch…and nothing happened. She tried again, fingers almost frantic as she felt the walls of the elevator closing in.

They were trapped…trapped in a box with dead people trying to break in.

"What!? No!" Valentine shouted out as she reflipped the switch a third time in the hopes of lifting them upwards…but the result was the same as the dead rasped from a mere five feet away. She stooped down…and finally saw the lack of power coursing through the control panel lights. Snapping her head to the sprawling yard beyond the corpses, she saw no running lights…no power being used. _"Even with night coming in an hour…there's no lights coming on…there's no electricity for this whole street" _The undead foreman beat against the barrier, the skin on his cheeks torn away by bites to expose the gristle below. _"Think Jill, THINK!"_

It came to her like a flash. "There's a substation a street or two away if we follow the road. We turn that back on and we should be able to power this elevator to reach the top"

"It can never be easy, can it?" Leon quipped as he studied the dead still beating against the metalwork. They were safe for now and he did have the ammunition to take them all down…but he would prefer not wasting his last magazine of pistol rounds. Looking around for anything that could be used, the male caught a glint of pointed steel sitting near a pool of dried blood. There were a few abandoned tools…crawling with flies and stench in the far right corner….along with several fingers.

"Not in this city" Ada replied as she began to raise her firearm to destroy the threat.

"No. Wait" Kennedy suggested as he picked up a lone screwdriver. The handle was sticky with bits of flesh, but the tool was sturdy and relatively new. It was a long one of ten inches…probably used by one of the men outside. Stepping up, he lined it up with the forehead of the first zombie…then punched it through the skull with a sickening crunch. Pulling it out, the bone grated on steel while the corpse fell to the dusty earth.

It felt…wrong to be doing this, but there was no choice as Leon stepped up the next zombie. It breathed, washing rancid rot breath across his face that made him want to gag.

"Ugh…seven more to go" he lightly complained as he lined up the gore coated tool for the next kill…

The three were back on the road in five minutes, Leon dispatching all of the dead with that simple but effective tool. Heading toward the sub-station on the suggestion of Jill, the small group knew that night was rapidly approaching…and that it would be even more dangerous.

Weaving past a collision of trucks that had blocked half the roadway, Jill had taken point once more as the horrors of this city seemed to crowd in on her with the gathering darkness. There were no street lights…no stores lit up…it was a stressful journey marred with the every present sounds of the distant infected.

"That looks like the place" Ada pointed out as dusk crept closer and closer with every passing minute. Located on the right-hand side of the road past a chain link fence, the utility building was all gray's and bland concrete. The two-lane road beyond was blocked by more wrecks, but the three didn't care. All they cared about was turning on the power and getting the hell out of this city.

Walking through the gate, Jill led the way to the main door. Grasping the knob, she gave a knowing look to Leon. "Kill anything in there that isn't human. We can't afford to fuck this up now"

"Right. Ada? Back me up" the handsome rookie asked while pulling his M-16 forward. Double checking that it was ready to fire, Kennedy gave a quick nod to his future girlfriend as she twisted the knob and pulled the door open with a heavy yank of force.

Leon stepped in, the eye watering stench of decaying flesh strong and overpowering.

A line of machinery took up the center of the room, running its length as the familiar sounds of tearing flesh reverberated along the dark walls while Leon moved to the left. To the right was a wall of lockers, some of them hanging open…others splashed with gore. But it was dark…suffocating as the two women swiftly moved in with their flashlights powered on.

The undead woman lunged from the corner past the bank of interior transformers, her face gaunt and pale with several chunks of flesh missing from her forearm. She had been in the dark…waiting for a victim as the other zombies stirred beyond.

"SHIT!" Leon cried out as she grabbed his shoulders with surprising force and speed. Adrenaline surged, fear rising like a phoenix as he used the rifle to barely keep the monster away. Teeth snapped and clacked, a growl of hunger that wanted to sink into the warm flesh of his neck.

"Grrr! SHOOT IT!" Leon shouted in a mixture of horror while being pushed against the door. The dead female lunged, missing his neck by a hair's breadth while putrid air and growls filled his ears.

Ada aimed and fired with honed training, the bullet crashing through the temple with a burst of gore and cracking bone.

"Leon? Were you bit?" She inquired as Jill looked on in concern.

The man looked their way…and his eyes momentarily widened as he pressed the rifle to his shoulder. "GET DOWN!"

Both women dropped, not even thinking of why as two crackling shots echoed out in the gloom like bursts of flame. Brass tinkled as two more shots were fired, deafening the three. The remaining infected had shambled closer during the initial attack…forgotten in the darkness of the room before being spotted by Leon just in time. The rounds tore at their flesh, exploding through their craniums in a horrific passage of ruin.

The two zombies collapsed like bags of rotting flesh, their last gasps a whisper of release giving the room silence as no other sounds were heard except deep breathing.

"Christ…how could we have fucked up so badly in the first thirty seconds?" Jill asked herself in condescension as she looked at the freshly fallen. Another few seconds and they would've been sinking their teeth into her and Ada.

"Because we're tired and scared…this place is dark as hell?" Ada responded as she checked the small light mounted on her pistol. It shone on the dead…a reflection as Leon turned the larger one on for his rifle. He looked down at the dead woman, his face a scowl.

"Damn…she came out of nowhere" the man lightly mused as he felt the trembles of adrenaline ebbing. That had been a close one….and the stink was still lingering.

"Lets…lets just get to the control room" Jill suggested as she stepped over the bodies near the lockers. Staying cautious, the female officer walked forward with care, her senses just _waiting _for some horror to jump out and rip her flesh. But the cone of light washing over the walls and area found nothing…well…the remains of the zombie's victim was near the staircase, but there was nothing left of that poor soul.

Ada cringed at the sight of spread out gore and half eaten organs, but silently followed Leon up the staircase past the spatters of ichor and strewn intestine. Gulping as the three reached the top landing, she saw that the walkway wrapped around the room in a large 'U' shape before reaching the control room. Its windows were dark, foreboding as the mercenary followed the officer closely.

"You know…you owe me one for back there" Wong said, trying to lighten the atmosphere of horror and decay that filled the air like thick fog.

"I figured we were even when I saved you from those two zombies?" Leon quipped back as he started forward, his boots echoing across the grating of the walkway.

"We all know that's not how it works. But don't worry, you can pay me back on the beaches of Tahiti"

Jill narrowed her eyes slightly at the other woman, the vestiges of jealousy growing. "Well…A tropical vacation would be the perfect chance for me and Leon after this whole mess is done with. But you can rent a bungalow on the other side of the island" Valentine said smugly.

"I doubt a woman like you could afford it. But I can. How about it Leon? A trip to French Polynesia with me?" Ada lightly suggested to the male further ahead.

Leon looked back at the two women, glares lighting up their eyes before turning back and hurrying toward the control room door. He wanted nothing to do with whatever argument was forming between the two. _"Women can be scarier than any monster…"_

"Let's…save that topic for when we escape this city" Kennedy pleaded lightly as he peered through the glass pane of the door. The room was bathed in the red of emergency lighting…a sinister tone that reminded him of blood. He didn't see movement…but the glass itself was covered in some strange, black substance. Quelling his mind from creating fresh horrors, he pushed the door open and stepped in.

The control room was empty. A few discarded cans of soda littered the floor and a half eaten sandwich sat crawling with maggots right below the view window of the transformer yard. The yard itself was bathed red in the emergency lights of almost no power…and some strange webbing that covered the vast majority all the way to the power pylons in the distance.

"That…looks like a pain in the ass" Valentine observed as she stepped up to the main control panel. The center screen was dark except for a single sentence displayed across the middle in green letters.

"**Emergency Failure: Reboot System"**

"How the hell do we do that?" Kennedy asked, his shoulders sagging at the task at hand. Looking at his surroundings, he saw a door that led outside on his left.

"We'll have to go out there and manually flip the breakers" Ada informed her companions as she read the list of emergency procedures taped to the nearby wall. It seemed easy enough…but nothing was ever easy in this town.

A low thud ebbed from their right. The trio turned as one, weapons ready as the cones of light fell on a second door. It was closed…a few bloody handprints covering the front near the break room placard. Leon stepped forward, his breathing a burst of exhaustion. Reaching the knob, he watched as the two women waited.

"I really hope it's just a cat or something…" Leon whispered before turning the knob. Pushing the door open with the barrel of his rifle, the three were welcome to the sound of a hammer cocking and phlegmy coughing.

"Wh…who's…there?"

"A survivor?" Ada said in surprise as the three studied the man slumped against the wall of the break room.

The body armor and insignia gave him away as U.B.C.S. but any sort of professionalism of the military unit was gone as his chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. His left leg was wrapped in blood soaked bandages, covering almost half the limb that still didn't hide the long claw marks that had left furrows. Another trail of wounds dragged across his abdomen…and were very deep as he pressed a bloody hand to the injury.

The pistol dropped from his hands to the floor with a clatter, a small smile on his twenty-five year old face. "Holy…shit. An actua…actual cop… I thought…you were wiped…out" He coughed heavily, creating a fresh stain of red on his lips as Jill moved to his side in a show of comfort.

"Hey…don't strain yourself. Your safe now" She knew it was a lie…but Jill didn't have the heart to just tell him how bad it was.

"Hehe…don't bother…I'm a goner…just like…like this city tomorrow…at…at dawn"

"At dawn? What do you mean?" Ada asked, here heart hammering as the dying man let out a mournful chuckle.

"I…I guess…you civies…wouldn't have heard. Came in on my…my radio before the batteries…" He gulped, his face becoming more pale as death neared. "They're launching a nuke…wiping Raccoon City off the…the map at six a.m. …tomorrow. President's orders to…prevent the spread…" He hacked badly, his body convulsing with pain as he slowly lifted his watch. "Less…then ten hours…escape…get out of this hell…"

The soldiers head dropped, his chin falling to his chest as the breathing stopped for all time.

"Shit…Shit! They can't do that can they?" Jill cried as she stood up, the news of the impending doom wracking her heart. This was her home…and they just wanted to destroy it all?

"They can…and will" Ada replied as she moved and picked up the man's gun. Popping the mag, she found it full which was a blessing since her ammo count was down to six bullets. Patting down his chest pockets, she felt another one ripe for the taking.

Leon watched Ada loot the fresh corpse. He knew he should say something but respecting the dead at a time like this...was pointless. _"This whole city…they're really going to destroy Raccoon?"_

"We need to get the power back on and reach the freeway, now" Jill emphasized with a tremble of her voice. _"I won't let Umbrella get away with this! I will expose the truth and…" _She glanced down at her side pouch…the interior holding the cure to this disease. Something that the world will need. It had to survive…she had to survive…and Umbrella would fall if she had anything to do with it. Hardening her eyes as she pulled her grenade launcher free, the S.T.A.R.S operative moved to the far door and the monsters beyond in the final night for Raccoon City…

**Well, here's another chapter! Managed 7k with this one! And I hope you all enjoy! The next one will be with Wendy and co moving through the subway! Which I'm sure will not be filled with monsters and horrors…not at all…**

**ANYWAY! I hope you all have a fun and safe 4****th**** of July despite the illogical and stupid cancellation of fireworks! My first 4****th**** off in YEARS! And they cancel everything because of this Chinese virus bullshit! ARRRGGGGHHH! At least I can still cookout with my family and enjoy a day of sun and swimming!**

**So aside from that…Read, Review, and Enjoy!**

**Ada: I'm so taking Leon to a tropical island getaway. A man like that can't be wasted on some little girl.**

**Jill: I happen to be very womanly…more than enough for him. Leon? Who will you choose? **

***Both glare at Kennedy***

**Zombie: Brains! FLESH!**

**Leon: OH THANK GOD! A MONSTER!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	17. Underbelly

**Well! I am back with another chapter of survival horror! I know the last two were a little shorter than usual, but this one should be around 10k or so? I'm hoping anyway. But I am sticking with my goal of finishing this story then concentrating on DotCog and Shifting. So after this expect the three 'Finishing' Chapters than an Epilogue afterwards. I still can't believe how long I made this story already…I only expected 10 chapters or so now it's almost double that.**

**Anyway, I don't own any media! Now…**

**Prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 17: Underbelly**

* * *

**October 2****nd**** 1:03 p.m. South Raccoon Street Station**

The silence coming from the darkness was suffocating…deafening while a few ceiling lights struggled to power on. They flickered…strobing like dying fires while the five continued down the steps of the subway station. It was only thanks to the flashlights attached to their weapons that Wendy and Marvin were able to see their surroundings.

Forgotten luggage and briefcases…duffle bags and packs…discarded paper cups spilling drying contents onto the concrete steps as the cool air wafted around them.

Marvin stepped past a drying puddle of blood, its viscosity growing sticky as the group reached the bottom of the stairs. Waving his Mp5 in an arc, the cone of illumination revealed nearby turnstiles and a ticket booth on their right. Beyond, the open area stretched outward past a few small stalls with lowered shutters as trash and discarded items littered the concourse. He could see two bathrooms set in the far wall, the door to the women's room splattered with ichor as a few lights above flickered unevenly.

"I hate how dark it is down here" Claire commented as her eyes continued to adjust to the gloom. Standing near Sherry and her little dog, the grown woman was a reassuring presence as the group continued to observe the area.

"At least it's better than the streets above" Allyssa commented. Striding forward past the exit turnstile, she kept the shotgun leveled as her own cone of light pierced the darkness. Several bloody handprints covered the window of the small ticket booth…but aside from that it looked clear.

Wendy walked past, her blue hair a darkened azure in the flickering blackness. Reaching one of the large staircases that led to the train platform below, she shined her light downward.

"Clear"

Voice ringing out, the others could tell she was angry and upset. Hell, they all were.

"Do…do you think there's a train here? We…we could use it to leave the city…" Sherry whispered, her tiny voice barely heard as she hugged Pepper tighter.

"That's not a bad idea, Sherry" Marvin encouraged. Taking the first steps toward the lower depths, he was immediately followed by Wendy. His shoes echoed in the stillness, the only thing heard was their breathing in this suffocating gloom of ink. Reaching the bottom platform, the ceiling lights tried to flicker on.

A subway train sat at the far end of the platform, sitting still and unused as two of the dead mingled near a few benches along the wall. They were spread out…numb with complacency as Wendy moved forward with Allyssa.

"Don't fire unless you need to" Wendy whispered as she brought her bat out again. Stalking close, her natural scent of life gave the nearest zombie cause to turn as Allyssa shone the shotgun light on the fiend. He had been a subway employee, a younger man of African decent with a ragged bite in his left flank. His hair was dyed blonde…flecked with bits of red as the former man gasped, a snarl of hunger as Wendy swung for his lolling head.

The crack echoed across the platform. A sickening crunch of breaking bone as the bat connected with the temple. The zombie collapsed, Wendy already moving to strike again. She caught the name _**'J. Chapman' **_from the brass tag on his chest, but paid it no mind as she raised her bat high above her head…and brought it down for a finishing blow.

"Huuggh!" the fifteen year old grunted out as the bat embedded in the skull with sickness. The enclosing rasps of the second corpse was getting closer as the girl pulled her weapon free. Turning in a flash, she saw it only five feet away as it walked among the cones of illumination from Allyssa and the others. It staggered, stumbling toward the young woman as she jumped back from the swipe of diseased hands. The zombie woman grunted, bloody teeth reflecting in the artificial cone of flashlights.

"Wendy! Move!" Allyssa shouted out in a fit of dread for her friend. _"Damn keeping quiet! It doesn't matter if that thing kills her!"_

"No! Save your ammo!" Wendy called back. Rapidly running in a wide arc around a support column, the darkness and structure confused the corpse as it turned. Shambling slowly, it completely ignored the three adults and child standing twenty feet away.

"Damn this girl…" Allyssa muttered as she walked forward with annoyance. Flipping her shotgun around, the reporter smashed the butt end into the dead woman's skull. The beast grunted, falling forward from the blow with a hard landing. Stepping on it's back, the blonde bashed the weapon forward with another strike as the skull began to cave.

"I could've done that you know?" Wendy mentioned as Ashcroft gave three more killing blows. Standing up as her chest heaved from the exertion, the older female gave a sour look. "And if it got you? Or you tripped? We've come too far to make stupid mistakes now. You're a tough chick, but your still just a kid"

Wendy looked away, her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness of the subway platform. The random flickering of lights had stopped…finally casting the area into pitch black with the exception of the group and a few distant lights along the subway tracks. "Fine…I'm just trying to stretch out our supplies. We don't know if we'll find more food, ammo, or anything else down here. I refuse to use bullets for a lone zombie or two"

"I get that, but at some point, the risk isn't worth it. I'd rather use a few bullets than to see one of us die" Allyssa finished as she tried to wipe the excess gore off the butt of her shotgun. It was sticky and gross…but the dead person below wouldn't mind her clothes used as a napkin.

Footsteps approached, sure and confident as Marvin passed them. "Let's just get on that train. Even without the power, it's a good place to hunker down and re-asses our situation"

"Right…right…we need to make a new plan to escape now" Wendy complained, her words a weight of sorrow. Following the officer to the front of the train, the older male was using the flashlight of his weapon to peer in.

"I don't see any infected…or anything really" Letting his Mp5 hang from the strap, Branagh hooked his hands into the slightly open door. "Claire, help me with this"

"Sure. Sherry? Stay near the others" the brunette ordered as she stepped up to the door on the other side. Gripping fingers hooked…and both adults started to pull with straining muscles and braced legs.

"Grrnnng!" Claire grunted out as the door slid open by several feet. Finally opened, she swung in with her weapon held high. She saw no movement…heard no rasping of the dead or other horrors. Just empty seats and a few forgotten bags. Walking forward as the others piled in, Claire's steps were cautious and slow.

"Is it safe?" Sherry asked from the front, the little girl standing by Wendy as Marvin shone his own light down the length of the passenger car.

"Yip!"

The little Chihuahua's small bark echoed in the interior, but aside from that, the train car was safe and secure.

"Well if Pepper says it's okay…" Wendy lightly smiled to the child who smiled back despite the situation.

Marvin was at the connecting door to the next car, the light stabbing the darkness as he and Claire studied the rampant destruction of the second subway car. Part of the ceiling had collapsed, crushing and ripping through the metalwork. A zombie was pinned under heavy debris, its moans not heard as the flashlight passed over the unfortunate man. Letting out a sigh, the lieutenant was just…so sick of compounding problems.

"We won't be going anywhere with that second car still attached" Claire mentioned…but her words weren't even needed as Branagh turned away with dripping annoyance.

Striding back to the group, he sat down on one of the seats with a protest of his injuries and mental exhaustion. Setting his Mp5 on the seat next to him, the lone officer waited as the others took a seat.

"Okay…today has gone horribly wrong. We're trapped underground…have no idea where the others are or if they're still alive. We have to assume that monster is still after Sherry in the city above. The power is out down here, and until we get it turned on, this subway car is going nowhere. On top of that, we need to detach the coupling"

"It's also safe to assume that there could be more zombies and other monsters down here" Allyssa input as her hand's free camera recorded once more.

"If that's the case, we can't be dragging Sherry around into dangerous situations. It's dark out there and we can't risk something attacking her. I think…Marvin should stay with her in the train. It can be our base of operations and can be defended better than any room or hallway in the station" Claire suggested as the little girl looked up at her with wide eyes.

"You're going to leave?"

"Just for a little bit…just so we can get this train moving and leave this place" Claire smiled, but it was hard to see as Marvin massaged his temple.

"Dammit…your probably right. I may have gotten the cure, but this abdominal wound doesn't help with movement despite the stitching and bandages" Marvin grunted, the pain lightly flaring as he shifted. Before it had been adrenaline and the constant fear of running through the streets to stave it off…but now it was throbbing. Yes, he can still move…but damn it fucking hurt. Looking at Wendy, he knew the girl would go help…hell, the only way he could stop her was tying her up…and honestly, she was too good of a shot to pass up.

"Reload everything you have…and make sure to stay as a group. Don't get separated. If something happens or you learn something, report back to me. I'll keep an eye on Sherry and make sure no monsters get in here" the darker man tried to smile…but faltered.

Allyssa was double checking her shotgun and reloading her berretta. She only had the lone magazine, but the shotgun would be a boon for anything serious. Granted…she only had seven shells, but hopefully she could find more down here. Fishing through her side pouch, the reporter's left hand grasped the 1911 .45. She hadn't used it once…and honestly, having three firearms seemed to be a hinderance. Looking across the aisle at Redfield, the brunette woman was reloading her .38 as Sherry watched in learning silence with her little dog clutched close.

"Hey Claire? Take my .45. You could use some extra firepower" Ashcroft suggested as she held out the firearm and the three loose bullets. They reflected in the glow of Branagh's flashlight, the policeman lending illumination as Wendy peered past the windows into the darkness.

"You sure?"

"Yeah…You'll probably actually use it" Ashcroft relented as the fellow woman took the firearm and extra ammo. Nodding her thanks, she quickly checked the weapon…then holstered her new colt. Gripping her trusty revolver, the woman stood as the small break passed.

Moving toward the door, Wendy gave a small thumbs up to Sherry. "Keep being a tough cookie and listen to Marvin, kid. We'll be back soon" Filing out into the gloom, the three made sure the sliding doors were closed once more.

Watching them walk across the platform toward the closest set of stairs, Sherry wanted to call out…but crouched down in the seat as she held Pepper.

"Hey…they're tough ladies. I'm sure they'll be back in no time" Marvin tried to reassure as he stood up with a flare of aches. Stretching his legs, the man eyed the discarded bags of luggage. "Wanna help me search these bags? It could be like a treasure hunt"

"Um…okay" Uncurling her legs, the ten year old girl set Pepper down to traverse the sealed car as the police man pulled the first suitcase of abandoned belongings to the nearest seat. Putting on his best smile, Marvin knew he had to put on an aura of calm for the child…even if his heart was filled with dread and worry of the unknown…

**The East Concourse…a few minutes later…**

The area was marred with abandonment as the three women stepped off the staircase. The layout was a mirror image of the West Concourse. Turnstiles and nearby bathrooms…a ticket booth and some small vendors that rose out of the blackness. Spilled food littered the pavement near a sandwich stall, flies buzzing and feasting under the cones of light. Insidious chewing reverberated near the ticket booth, causing Claire to shift her flashlight and .38 in that direction.

Four of the infected were feasting…eating and tearing at the body of a subway worker. A woman dove in, sinking bloody teeth into the shoulder…but the light passing over them all gave the monsters cause to shift and rise. The zombies let out sorrowful moans, their bodies starting to sway from the far end of the room.

"Shit…" Claire lightly cursed as she looked around for an escape route. There were the bathrooms behind her, lit up by Wendy as the broken doors beckoned with stains of red on the floor. Peering into the shadow of her surroundings, another door behind the far staircase hung lightly open.

"Fuck! Allyssa? Cover us!" Wendy barked as she stood next to Claire and rose her pistol. A small beam of laser light poured out, centering on the closest corpse that had already reached the halfway point. The bloodied face was lit up…a nightmare of horrors as the dead bunched together. _"No way in hell I can beat them down in that cluster…"_

Wendy fired, the gun flashing fire as the bullet snapped through the still air. But the undead woman had limped lightly left, ruining a kill shot and turning it into a graze as the round furrowed against her temple.

"Screw that! You cover me!" Ashcroft yelled back as she leveled the shotgun at the clumped mass of bodies and their gasping heads. Squeezing the trigger, shot balls of steel zipped through the air, turning the lead woman's skull into a paste of gore and shattered bone. One of the other zombies took the heavy brunt, the shotgun pellets tearing through the face and brain while the others were heavily maimed. The two corpses fell, but the others came on with relentless uncaring in the murky blackness.

"You two bicker like sisters…idiots" Claire uttered out while aiming at the closest attacker. He was portly…probably a businessman judging by the suit stained with dried gore. Her .38 bucked firmly in her grasp, sending a slug into the undead's throat. Ichor sprayed as Claire cursed…then she fired again to plant one firmly between the eyes. Letting out a sigh of death, the body collapsed as the last zombie came on to try and reach the human females before it.

A red dot appeared on her forehead…then a burgeoning of gore as a bullet tore through her head in finality. The spent casing clattered to the floor, echoing in the stillness and stench of death and gunpowder.

Alyssa pumped her weapon, forcing a fresh shell into the breech as she turned toward that distant door past the stairs. "I bet we'll find something in the employee area. Maybe even a way to re-start the power"

"Probably right" Redfield admitted as she stared at the two bathrooms nearby. She had no compulsion to check those two death traps. Hurrying to catch up with the others, the trio simply pulled the employee entrance door open…and stepped into a dark hallway.

Keeping the torch gripped in her left and resting above her right hand firmly grasping her revolver, Claire felt like every shadow in the hallway was out to get her.

"I bet that far end connects with the other concourse we used earlier" Marvell pointed out, her gaze studying the distant closed door straight ahead. Frankly, she didn't see the point in checking as their artificial lights revealed two hallway off-shoots. One turned north approximately thirty feet ahead…the other south after another ten feet…and both were equally dark with unknowns beyond. There were two doors set into the right side of the hallway, one before and one after the first intersection.

Stepping forward, the three could almost hear the echoing of their breathing. The air was stale…stuffy with particles of must. Passing the first door that advertised the break room for employees, the women ignored it for the time being. Swinging wide, Alyssa swept her shotgun around the first corner, expecting a group of dead…but just an empty corridor of dingy gloom. A few sheets of paper littered the concrete floor…but nothing else moved.

"Thank god for that…" Ashcroft mumbled. Glancing down at her chest, she was reassured by the small glow of the camera still recording everything. Her white shirt was a mess of grime and filth…but dry thankfully as the reporter lightly smiled. Everything on this recording will win her a Pulitzer…push her career to new heights. _"At least…if we make it out of this city…"_

"Hey Ashcroft…hurry up" Wendy called, the girl walking past and sliding up to the next corner on the left.

"Right" Quickly rejoining the others, she watched as Wendy turned down a short hallway.

"Hey…the control room" Claire pointed out at that second door. Shining her light on it as Wendy continued down the short hallway, the college student glanced at the teenager.

"Go check it out. Just some bathrooms up ahead" she replied while ears strained for any sign of monsters. She didn't hear anything…but she also didn't want to get jumped by twenty of the undead hiding in the women's stalls.

"Didn't Marvin tell us to stick together?" Claire asked the girl who was near the men's room. Wendy turned her way, the small cone of light from her gun pointed at the floor. She was cast in shadow…barely moving as her gaze met Claire's.

"Well be really close to each other. It's not like we'll be on separate floors"

Ashcroft let out a sigh, her feet taking her toward Wendy. "I'll check the women's room…right across the hall. If anything happens, give a scream" Pushing open the door, the reporter disappeared into the inky darkness of the restroom while Wendy did the same.

"Whatever…" Claire mumbled. Moving toward the 'Control Room' she quickly pushed open the door with a turn of the knob to reveal defunct systems…and no monsters. A few empty cans of soda sat on the consoles near the monitor stations…probably against some regulation as Claire began to search. Shining her light around the rectangular room, she didn't even spot any gore or any evidence of death…just abandonment.

The beam of light passed over the far wall on her left, drawing the woman's attention of a map. Walking closer as she squinted, Redfield's face lit up when she recognized it as a layout of the whole station. While too big to carry, the woman began to memorize every detail in earnest…

Wendy had barely closed the door behind her, casting the bathroom in suffocating blackness when the fit of coughing started.

Snapping up her firearm, the light shone past the two urinals and sinks. It reflected back from the mirrors, one of them cracked with spiderwebs and covered with bloody handprints. "Who's there?"

More coughing echoed from further in the bathroom as she slowly sidestepped, her stance firm. Washing the beam over the first stall, she found more trails of blood smeared across the metal surface…and more on the tiled floor.

A voice croaked…a rasp of exhaustion. "He…hello?"

It came from the last stall. Keeping her firearm raised, Wendy pushed the door open as it creaked on rusting hinges. A man lay there with his legs sprawled out, a bloody bandage wrapped around the thigh as the gore soaked through the jeans. Raising the cone of light to his face, Wendy was completely floored by who it was.

A visage contorted in pain…speckles of blood across his chin while dirty, black hair glistened with drying sweat. A pistol sat across his lap, barely gripped by a tired left hand as he tried to stem a stabbing wound through his stomach. And in his right…a strange metallic device that looked very similar to Wendy's own portal gun.

He looked older…maybe eighteen or nineteen…but there was no mistaking it.

"Romeo?"

His eyes focused, centering on the fifteen year old girl before him. Her blue hair like flowing locks that burned like purple in the darkness…the wrapped bandage around her head and the body armor marred and scratched by unknown horrors.

"W…wendy? What are you…doing here?" He asked with growing fatigue. The girl approached, crouching down next to him with caring concern.

"I could ask you the same thing…" A voice marred by sadness. She knew this wasn't 'her' Romeo…and by the looks of it, he didn't have long judging by that wound through his abdominals.

"I…this…this wasn't meant to happen" He slowly picked up the defunct portal gun, it's power gone as it sat silent in his hand. "Sting…said it would work…was supposed to take…us to a paradise version of our world…one where I was part of…Fairy Tail…"

"Us? You were with others?" Wendy asked lowly. Looking over her shoulder, she thought she heard a 'click' from the vent above the sinks. Shining her light, she saw nothing but the covered vent. Turning back as Romeo coughed a bit of blood, the girl felt pity. _"Even with the cure…he's a goner…"_

"I was with…my dad…Orga and Rufus…we came through…into this hell…and the power source…got damaged by one of those…monsters…" Romeo looked up at Wendy, his eyes misting. "They're…dead…the screams as my father was…eaten…"

The man shuddered as he passed the traveling device to Wendy's palm. Blood streaked the metallic surface…but she took it.

"Try to fix it…make it home…to wherever you come from…" His chest rose deeply as the teenager took the invention. Taking it apart deftly in front of him, the blunette smiled at the stroke of good fortune. An intact _**Particle Condenser**_ was just waiting to be installed. Taking her own portal gun from her side pouch, Wendy started to install the critical component.

"You…definitely know what your doing…definitely not from my world…hehe…" Romeo commented with a hint of dying mirth.

"How can you tell?" she asked while she worked in the deserted bathroom. The stale scent of urine and blood…dust and dusty air…Wendy ignored it as she watched Romeo's eyes perk up.

"She's nineteen…and has great tits. I mean…great like Minerva or Sorano…just…wow" he smiled at the memory…knowing it was one of the last few he would have.

She lightly punched him, a scowl on her face. "Don't be so callous about a woman's body. There's more to us than looks and sex appeal"

"Hehe…sorry…she is really nice…kind of an airhead…but she loves her boyfriend Natsu…and helping…people…" His head lolled to the side near the toilet, eyes unblinking with death taking his life in the moment prior. The chest stopped moving…the man's pain finally ended with the silence suffocating the bathroom.

Wendy had finished installing the new component, sliding the portal gun back into her side pouch. She didn't bother reaching for the pistol in Romeo's lap. The slide was kicked back, showing an empty firearm. Raising her own, she waited as a red dot appeared in the center of his forehead. Wendy didn't have to wait long for the infection to raise it's head.

The fingers twitched…eyes beginning to move as the virus took hold. A low moan escaped Romeo's lips, the man instantly eyeing the human girl before him.

Marvell fired, the gun blast lighting up the bathroom in a flash of light as the lone bullet tore though the male's cranium. Gore splattered against the tile wall behind him, finishing any attempt to rise while a few tendrils of smoke rose from the barrel. Lowering the gun for a moment, the girl felt…depressed at the man's death.

The bathroom door kicked open, Alyssa and Claire pouring in with guns raised. "Wendy! Are you okay!?" Ashcroft asked as she surged forth toward the girl by the stall.

"Yeah…there was a survivor…he turned into a zombie" Wendy said evenly before taking a deep breath of stale air. "Let's get moving…this room stinks" Heading toward the door, she bypassed the two women who followed, leaving the corpse alone in the corner stall as darkness retook the room…

A minute later Claire stood in front of the break room door, her hand gripping the knob as the other two watched the hallway for any encroaching dead…but nothing had come at them in the intervening minutes.

"I really don't like how silent it is. I keep expecting a horde of them to pour out of some random room" Ashcroft mentioned with wariness as she looked down the northern hall. The shadows…the darkness beyond made it a monster's wet dream.

"I know…I get the same vibe" Claire paused, recalling the map she memorized. "Let's just search this room and storage. After that we can head to the sub-basement and find the power room"

"Oh yeah…that doesn't sound dangerous at all…" Wendy muttered under her breath while Claire opened the door.

Shining the light along the rectangle room, Redfield stepped in…and swung immediately to her right near the lockers as a hungry rasp of death echoed from the corner. The cone of illumination passed over the zombie in the corner, the man already shambling forward with part of his chest flayed open. Numerous stab wounds decorated his torso…and his face was…emaciated like a skeleton. Almost like all the fluids in his body were gone.

"_The hell? Was his blood drained or something?" _Claire briefly thought before she fired at the enclosing corpse. It was a sure shot given the closing gap of barely fifteen feet between the two. Collapsing with barely a sound, Redfield swung her aim northward toward the far end of the break room. A second door loomed partially open…the lock broken and leading to…the hallway and nearby Breaker Room if she remembered correctly.

Walking toward the door, she passed a table littered with discarded food and coffee cups. The smell of rot wrinkled her nose, but aside from the lone infected, the room was empty.

"A quick search, ladies. We can't leave Marvin and Sherry alone in that train forever" Alyssa encouraged as she started to open random lockers.

Most of them were empty, just filled with random personal effects such as photos of family and friends, spare uniforms, or other trinkets. Leaving the last one open, the reporter shook her head in disappointment.

"Nothing except some rotting food and open bottles of water" Claire observed as she took one last look of the break room. She had hoped to find…something, but there really was nothing for them to take after a few minutes of searching. Walking through the northern door, the trio re-emerged into the hallway of desolate darkness while Claire led the way. The Breaker Room sat at a diagonal across from them, but without power, it was pointless to even enter at this point.

"Storage is this way" the brunette said in soft whisper while raising her gun and flashlight. The washing of cones traced across the walls and floors, sometimes toward the ceiling at the random vent. It was those little heightened tunnels that gave the females the highest sense of dread…like something was watching from the murk beyond as they walked.

Reaching the storage room, one of those open ducts sat across the hall, the grating laying across the floor as specks of some clear fluid reflected off their flashlights. The path continued to a flight of stairs leading downward, the area even darker with no light.

'_**click…'**_

Alyssa pivoted on her heel, the M870 Mossburg gripped tight as she aimed at the gaping hole several feet above her head. The attached light tried to pierce the velvet blackness beyond, her senses screaming at the unknown sound. "You heard that, right?" the reporter whispered with stress in her tone.

Wendy slowly nodded, her gaze peering at the vent as she slowly stepped toward her friends. "It might be a licker…minimal sounds…" she warned, the girls voice barely a whisper as Claire slowly turned the knob. Pushing into the room, the smell of death and familiar rasps of the dead greeted them as four zombies staggered listlessly among the storage space.

"Dammit!" Alyssa cried out as she stepped in. The clicking grew agitated from the vent behind her, but she knew what she would rather deal with infected as Wendy slammed the door shut behind the three, trapping them in the room.

"Whatever is out there…these dead bastards are easier to deal with!" Wendy cried out as she spun, trying to get a bead on one of the four. It moved behind a shelving unit, saving itself from destruction as Claire aimed to the right.

Two of the dead were on the left, already shuffling toward the blonde woman as the cone of illumination washed across their necrotic faces. They were gaunt…specked with blood as the former human's snarled. The Mossburg bloomed fire, bucking in her hands as the steel shot tore the through the enclosing man's head. Bits of bone sprayed, but the second, a woman only took heavy damage as part of her shoulder was torn away. Flung backward, the undead female groaned as she fell, but immediately started to recover as Alyssa pumped a fresh shell.

"Thank god they're stupid" Claire muttered as she fired at the fourth threat which was another woman. Her arms were missing…both torn off in the horror of her death as the .38 bullet smashed through the throat. Taking a breath as the zombie staggered behind a pile of boxes near the right corner, Redfield re-aimed and fired again, ending the threat with a round through the temple.

Two flashes of gunfire lit up the room to her immediate left as Wendy dropped the shelving corpse, the first not completely killing it as the round tore part of the nose away. Immediately shifting her aim toward the last infected, she used the laser sight of her firearm to put a round right between the eyes as it started to rise.

Waving the cones of light around, the trio saw nothing move as the recently killed corpses lay where they fell…ruin marring their heads as ichor reflected.

"That should be all of them…" Claire observed with the stench of gunpower and lingering echoing blasts ringing her ears. This room was enclosed…and the noise from their firearms was staggering to her senses.

"Yeah…" Wendy agreed with broken optimism as she finally got a good look of the room. There were shelving units along the wall and in front of her, but the left side was mostly open with shelves only lining the wall. A few stacks of boxes were littered around in the corners with one pile below a closed vent, but other than the zombies…it was silent.

"Let's make this quick" the blonde woman ordered as she stepped over the first body toward the nearest wall of shelves. Using the flashlight, Alyssa found most of the items either cleaning supplies, spare parts and tools…or other…

She paused, her gaze setting on a square box sitting behind a few bottles of cleaner. Pushing them aside, her smile grew. "Hello…what do we have here?" Setting down her Mossburg against the shelf as the illumination graced the ceiling above, the blonde haired woman gripped the box of twelve gauge shells. Flipping open the lid, she was almost ecstatic as she quickly counted. Fourteen…fourteen shells to deal with the undead and other horrors!

"Finally! A small break!" the woman said in a tone of glee. Pouring the newly acquired ammunition in her side pouch, the reporter had a small grin as she turned to Wendy and Claire after a quick reload.

"We can't let Ashcroft find everything…" Wendy muttered in a bit of jealousy at the older compatriot. Eyeing the shelves in front of her, Marvell scowled at her lack of success.

"What the hell is a lone magazine of .45 rounds doing in here?" Claire asked herself from the far right wall after her search of a shelf. Holding the item to her gaze, she found it full of bullets. _"I think I'll use the .45…I haven't found any .38 bullets in a while…" _Quickly switching weapons, Redfield smiled to herself as Wendy threw up her hands in frustration.

"I got nothing but dirty rags, bleach, rusting pipes…and…duct tape" she lamented while pocketing the roll of silver colored tape in her pouch.

"That might be useful?"

"Oh…shut up Alyssa with your find of ammo…" Marvell scowled with a small pout. Her comrades lightly chuckled, making them forget the nightmare outside…until another sound pierced the air.

'_**click…'**_

It came from the lone ventilation duct set into the wall in the middle of the back wall…and was…insidious as any of the lightless of their mood evaporated. Moving toward the door as the scuttling of _something_ grew louder from the inky gloom of that raised vent, the trio found it best to vacate the area swiftly.

Once again in the hall as they kept up their guard, they found a trail of slime leading down the wall from that first opening across from storage…and it stank just as bad as the dead.

"God that's just…gross" Claire commented with a disgusted tone as she quickly moved toward the staircase. Keeping a level stance with her .45 and flashlight, the female led the way down the steps as more of the slime and spatters of dried blood and gore greeted them in passing. A few punctures in the concrete wall were observed on their journey…and it made their skin crawl.

"Whatever is down here…it's dangerous…" Alyssa whispered as the women reached the bottom landing of the sub-basement. Peering ahead as they used their flashlights, the group could _feel_ the gloom around them.

"Shit…I think it's even darker down here…" Wendy commented as they started to walk. The hallway stretched before them, the wall dull and grey as a second corridor split off toward the left after ten feet. Reaching the corner, Wendy shone her light down that leftward direction. Brackish water greeted her, reflected back as the moisture gathered along the walls at the bottom of a small staircase. The filthy liquid rippled…parting as a rotting corpse stood up in seconds. The skin was bloated…covered with water maggots as the overweight man growled. Flaps of skin bounced around the torn pieces of his neck as he took that first step. Frankly…it looked disgusting as the white eyes wiggled with feeding maggots.

Wendy didn't give him a chance, blowing a hole through the bridge of his nose that left a lingering flash of light and ringing echoes. The corpse fell backward with a splash…and the noise woke the neighbors as a few more groans and rasps of hunger came from that waterlogged hallway.

"Dammit Wendy…you just had to make noise…" The girl scolded herself…but then, that particular zombie was pretty horrid.

"Forget it. The power room is just ahead" Claire urged as the trio began to run and outpace the few zombies that wanted to feed. The hallway zigzagged, making them pass a trash compactor room looming with dread and stench, but it was quickly forgotten as the women moved surely and quickly down the desolate hallways. Echoes of a few dead still rang behind them, but it seemed they had lost the scent of living flesh as the took a small turn to the left…and came to the **Power Room.**

The brown door was dirty…covered in streaks of blood and horror that reflected back in the soft yellow light of their torches. Bits of flesh and ichor littered the entranceway as it hung open inwardly by a few inches.

Claire pushed the door open, the hinges rusting and squealing with protest. The sounds of movement greeted her as she stepped in…sounds of an infected groaning from inside as she swept her cone of light. More gore had splashed against the line of generators to her left, leaving a coppery stink as she tried to find the zombie. But the room was empty…just a large rectangle with the electrical systems that sat silent. A horrid pile of entrails sat near the middle generator…buzzing and crawling with vileness as a trail of horror marched upwards past the buttons and switches.

"_Where is it!?"_

"CLAIRE! LOOK OUT!" Alyssa cried out as she aimed upward with her Mossberg and fired…but it was too late to stop the half zombie that had been on top of the row of machinery even as it became peppered with buckshot. If the power had been on…if they had been able to see clearly besides the shafts of light from their flashlights…

The half zombie woman landed on Claire's back, causing her to fall forward with a grunt of pain as her weapon and torch scattered away…then the zombie bit. Tearing through her exposed neck in a spray of blood and tearing flesh.

"AAAAAHHHHHGGHHHH!"

Redfield screamed, a horror of terror and agony as the corpse pulled away sinew and tendrils of warm muscle.

"No!" Wendy ran forward, kicking the zombie off with a heavy blow. Bringing out her trusty bat, the girl swung and connected with the head. It cracked…splattering as she swung two more times to finish the job as the monster lay still. Turning to Claire, her eyes went wide as she dropped the bat and moved to her side.

"GET THAT DOOR CLOSED!" Wendy screamed as she set the woman's head in her lap. She heard it slam…Alyssa racing to her side with horror and grief across her face.

"God…no…dammit…" the girl said in sorrow as she felt the horrific wound seeping untold amounts of blood across her pants…she could feel how hot it still was. It was deep…deep enough for Wendy to see the main arteries torn trying to pump blood in futility.

"W…wendy…I…I…" Claire's eyes were burning with tears…her mouth bubbling with frothing crimson as her hands shook.

"Shhh…it's…it's going to be okay…"

The lie poured from her lips as Wendy tried to think of something…anything she could do to save the woman. But there was nothing. Even if she had a full surgery room…the wound was too deep…too horrible to save this brave woman.

"What about the cure? I can…" Ashcroft started to say as the portable chest camera continued to record the horrible moment. Her voice was a husk…horrified because… _"If I had just reacted faster…"_

"N…no…" Claire gurgled…crimson flowing past her lips as she reached a shaking hand upward. Feeling it gripped by the other two women, Redfield tried to be strong as her face grew pale with the knowledge of what lay ahead. "E…escape…with…Sherry…live…find…my…brot…her...I'm…sc…ared…"

Claire Redfield's hand went limp as her eyes went blank and glossed over, the last sparks of her life leaving as the gaping zombie bite finished the job. Wendy sniffed…the woman's death hitting hard. She had only known the woman a short time…but it felt like years. And now she wished she had known her more.

"Wendy…the infection…the bite" Ashcroft whispered.

The closed door shuddered…grasps and clawing moans on the other side as the nearby zombies from the water-logged hallway homed in on the noise from before.

"I know…there's not much time…" Pulling her pistol free, Wendy slowly set the dead friend's head on the floor as the door reverberated with undead attack. Resting the barrel against Claire's forehead, Wendy knew…she knew she couldn't allow her to turn.

"I'm sorry Claire…"

The gunshot echoed and bounced like thunder around the darkened room, lighting up the walls for a brief moment as she stood up with Alyssa only feet away from Claire's body. The doorway cracked…bucking in as the hunger became more pronounced.

"It's…really been a shitty day, Alyssa…" Wendy said with a broken exhaustion in her tone. Putting the red dot on the cracking frame, the girl simply waited.

"I know kid…I know" Ashcroft added as she pointed the shotgun downrange.

The hinges snapped…and the door caved inward as it fell. One of the zombies had fallen with the destroyed barrier…but the other four came on.

Alyssa fired, anger and hatred in her heart at these things…at Umbrella…at everything that had gone wrong in the last few hours. Steel shot tore through flesh and bone, shredding skin and fiber before she pumped a fresh shell. Wendy dropped the first, two bullets tearing through its cranium in a spatter of bone and brain matter. Ashcroft fired again, aiming a little higher as the dead encroached. A head exploded from the steel balls of shot and ruined another behind….then she fired again to spread ruin among the remainder.

It was over quickly…leaving a pile of twisted and broken zombies by the doorway as cordite and blackness tried to swallow them whole.

The blue haired teenager lowered her weapon, not hearing any other zombies as she looked down toward the fallen Claire…then her weapon that had been lost by her that lay a few feet away under a flashlights beam.

"We need her weapons…" Crouching down, the teenager began to wiggle the backpack off the college student.

Alyssa watched for a moment, her normally chilled demeanor breaking at the sight of a child looting a body of a fellow survivor. It was wrong…but needed to be done as she tried to ignore the copper stench of this stuffy air. It smelled like fresh death…something she wanted to never smell again.

"I'll…try getting the power back on" She finally uttered before walking away to the far end of the room. There was a master switch…and instructions taped to the nearest generator on how to restore the electricity.

The task didn't take long…maybe a few minutes for the reporter as she moved back to the main switch. Pushing it upward, it locked into place…and the generators started to hum with purpose. Lights flickered…then thrummed on as illumination pushed away all the darkness that had taken the subway station. Alyssa turned away, her mood morose as she took one last look of Claire.

There was more blood than she realized…and that gaping neck wound…she had been foolish to think they could've done anything. Wendy was crouched next to her, the lower parts of her body armor and pants just…soaked in the crimson.

"Did you get everything?"

Wendy looked up at her…her eyes a little red and blue hair marred with grime as the backpack rested beside her filled with the spare weapons and ammunition that had belonged to their friend.

"Yeah…I did" Reaching a hand out, her fingers brushed past the bullet hole in Claire's forehead…and closed her eyes for one final time. Taking a small breath, Wendy stood up with finality as she slung the pack over a shoulder while gripping her pistol with a vice like grip.

"Let's get back…I'm sick of this place" Stepping over the corpses, the two survivors moved down the brightly lit hall…and dismissed the small clicks coming from the nearby vents…

* * *

The two had remained silent, walking up the now lit stairway to the main employee area. They…just had nothing to talk about while replaying the death of Claire over and over again in their minds.

Stepping in a small puddle of clear, sticky liquid near the storage room, the duo heard heavy clicking coming from the air vent above their heads and to the left.

It emerged as they passed underneath in a hurry, trying to evade whatever it was in their journey back to the train.

Bulbous and grayish black, the creature gripped the wall with four legs while mandibles clacked. The upper body was armored in a way, the carapace hard while the antenna waved in a bid to sense the living. Essentially…it was a giant tick. Dropping to the floor, it started to scuttle with a movement of clicks and clacking scratches.

"TICKS! REALLY!?" Ashcroft hollered while leveling her shotgun. Squeezing the trigger, the steel balls flew in a cone of destruction at the monster easily the size of large dog. Ripping through its bug flesh, the abomination exploded in a horrid paste of carnage as the woman pumped a fresh shell. The booming echo quickly faded….being overtaken by more of those un-nerving clicks coming from the same vent.

"RUN! Just fucking run!" Wendy cried out as she started to sprint down the hallway with the blonde not far behind…and more ticks flowed from the vent…eager to feast on the warm blood of the survivors…

Marvin gave a small grin as he finally detached the car coupling between the subway cars. Standing in the adjoining partition as he stood up, the Lieutenant gave one last inspection.

"Yup…that's detached alright. Now we just need to wait on Claire and the others" Turning away, he walked back into the working train and heard the door slide shut behind him. With the power on, it had made things much easier…especially spotting any potential enemies as the platform basked in a warm glow of electricity.

"How are you doing Sherry?" the man asked as he crouched down next to the girl. She was eating a bag of chips they had found, the girl sharing with her little Chihuahua as the dog crunched the salty treat.

"Um…not as scared now the lights are on. Do you think they'll be back soon?"

Marvin smiled, his face trying to push away the worry and fatigue. "I know they will"

Shouting…panicked yelling drew his attention in the distance despite the enclosure he was in. Snatching up his Mp5, the officer moved toward the side doors. "Stay there, Sherry" He ordered, his role as protector becoming known. Stepping out onto the platform as the doors stayed open, he peered at the closest staircase.

Running feet became more pronounced…along with the curses of a certain young woman and reporter that sprinted down the concrete steps….followed by a wave of clicking and bulbous grey bodies. There had to be a dozen…maybe more of these little horrors as they scuttled after the duo of women.

He felt a horrible pit in his stomach at the absence of one. _"Wait…Where's Claire?"_

"GET THE TRAIN STARTED!" Ashcroft screamed as the two ran for their lives from the horde of bugs. Marvin turned, running back inside the transport as he made his way to the conductor's seat. Turning the key, lights bloomed on outside and overhead as the panel's lit up. Starting to flip switches, Marvin really had no idea what he was doing.

"Hurry Alyssa! Get the doors closed!" Wendy hollered as the two women raced inside with red faces dripping with sweat and fear. Pushing and straining, they managed to close the barrier just as the first dog sized ticks hammered against the metalwork outside.

"Where's Claire?" Marvin asked the two in growing doubt while gripping the throttle lever.

One look from the two women…and the horrid amount of dried red against Wendy's pants…told him all he needed to know. _"Poor Chris…his sister was everything to him…" _Marvin said a small prayer for the fallen woman…and pushed the throttle forward. The subway car started to move, inching away from the platform that now had even more of those horrid bugs. Looking to the far side, he saw a few spill over the opposite edge of the platform…and electrocute themselves on the third rail.

Wendy gasped…slumping against the wall as she wiped away bits of sweat from her forehead. Nothing made you run like a bunch of blood sucking bugs after you.

"Wendy? Wh…what happened to Claire? Where is she?" Sherry asked from her nearby seat, the young girl holding Pepper tight as her voice cracked with knowing.

Marvell frowned…eyes downcast as she approached the girl…and sat down next to her. Wrapping Sherry in a big hug, the fifteen year old whispered. "I'm sorry Sherry…a monster got her. It happened so…fast"

It was crushing news for little Sherry Birkin as her eyes misted. "But she promised to be back…"

"I know sweetie…I know…"

Feeling the girl hug her harder as the train started to move down the tunnel, Wendy felt like trash for giving such horrible news to such a sweet kid.

"Is…is she going to come back as a monster like my dad?"

"No…I made sure that wouldn't happen…"

Sherry cried then…a full anguish as the small sobs filled the car, the only sound the clacking of tracks and the two adults not saying a single word in the suffocating depression…

**Half an hour later…**

Marvin kept a vigil on the control panel, his mouth pressed in a firm line as Sherry quietly cried herself to sleep in Wendy's arms. The tunnel around them was pitch dark…only broken by the headlights of the train that lit up the path before them. He had seen a few lone zombies staggering around in the occasional side area or on the other tracks…but they had been few and far between.

"_**Warning! Blockage on tracks ahead"**_

"_**Warning! Blockage on tracks ahead"**_

The computer voice broke his inner thoughts, silencing the berating he had been shouting at himself for allowing them all to go on that ill-fated mission to restart the power.

Easing back the throttle, the subway car slowed as the policeman peered ahead. Keeping up the easing of speed, the male hit the brakes as the distant blockage came into view. Wheels sparked and slowed with a low scream…disturbing the three females.

"Marvin? What's going on?" Ashcroft inquired as she stood up, making her way to the front window. But she didn't need to ask as the scene became quite evident from the now stationary subway car.

Two trains had collided at the next station…collapsing part of the tunnel among the twisted metal and rendered material that would have taken them to the outskirts of the city. A few small fires raged, lighting up the interiors of a few overturned cars as zombies inside tried to break free.

"Our escape route is blocked…no way in hell we're getting past that" Marvin sighed out with a pointed finger at the rampant carnage.

"I can see that!" the reporter snapped…then promptly pinched her nose. "Sorry…just…"

"No. It's alright" Marvin assured as he stood up. Making his way to the two younger women, he tried to smile…reassure them somehow, but he faltered.

"End of the line?"

He ran a hand through dirty hair that was beginning to gray at the temples. "Yeah Wendy…looks like we need to find a way around. I'm thinking one of the access tunnels, there has to be one nearby…" He finished while Sherry sat silently with her little dog.

"We should go over our supplies…redistribute what we have" Alyssa suggested as she cocked her head toward Claire's backpack.

"Good idea. We might not have a chance later" the officer agreed as the three started to go over what they had.

Alyssa ended up giving her remaining 9mm rounds to Wendy and just retaking the .45. The fact is, she would rather use her shotgun since the pistol on her hip had barely been used since she acquired the larger weapon. Claire's .38 snub nose…was just left in the backpack with a lone bottle of First Aid spray. Frankly, it was just a reserve firearm at this point as the trio reloaded magazines over the next few minutes in the silence of the train car.

Pepper let out a small bark, her little visage giving off a pleasantness of life as the three stood took one final check.

"Is that everything?" Wendy asked…then felt her left hand gripped by Sherry. Looking over, the girl was scared…gripping Marvell's gloved hand tight as Redfield's backpack hung from her slender shoulders. She held the small dog, her eyes still red from crying.

"Don't ever leave me alone…"

"Okay…just don't let go" Wendy smiled with a tired pain as the Birkin girl kept her little companion tight to her chest.

They left the train, flashlights blooming on to stab the darkness around them. A maintenance passageway was set into the left wall of the tunnel, a lone light above the open doorway flicked randomly. The survivors made their way across the tracks, careful not to grace the third rail as power hummed through the line. Shuffling of feet were in the distance…probably undead from the train wreck that had been drawn by their arrival.

"Quick, get inside" Marvin urged with a wave of his hand after he made a quick check of the interior hallway. Shining the flashlight in one final wave of the subway tunnel, the cone of illumination fell upon seven of the dead emerging from the train wrecks fifty feet away. They snarled, almost angered by his discovery as the three other survivors slipped through the entranceway.

Pursing his lips, Marvin stepped through into the hallway and locked the door. _"Would've just been a waste of ammunition…"_

"I got you Sherry" Wendy assured as the group quickly studied their surroundings. A small nod was returned as dimly lit bulbs hung from the ceiling.

The corridor was straight…a stretch of concrete and a few abandoned boxes with random items. There were no side corridors…no random doorways…just a straight line.

"The direction seems easy enough" Alyssa commented as her nostrils twitched from the minor odor of sewage. Stepping forward, she was halted as Marvin brushed past her.

"I'll lead. I'm still a cop after all. You cover Wendy and Sherry" the man ordered with a voice full of authority. No way was he taking a back seat, especially with what happened with Claire.

"Fine…lead the way officer" Ashcroft waved with a hand. Storing her Mossberg for now, the reporter pulled the .45 and kept it pointed toward the pavement. Making sure the two minors were in front, the group quickly moved out to leave the horrors of the Raccoon Subway system behind.

They walked for only five minutes, the low electric lights humming as their footfalls and breathing echoed off the silent corridor. There were no zombies…no giant ticks and other nightmares…just the encroaching stench of sewage.

"It smells bad…" Young Sherry complained, the girl still managing to hold on to Wendy and the little dog despite the hasty movement.

"Because…we're back in the sewer…again" Alyssa sighed in annoyed disappointment as the group stepped onto a catwalk. It hung over a long tunnel of the vile liquid and garbage, the north and south ends unseen as water churned below.

"Forget it. There's a door across the bridge" Wendy said out loud, her voice echoing lightly as she wiped her brow. It was humid down here…sticky with a horrid sweetness.

It looked safe…there was nothing wrong with that lone entrance covered in specks of rust and mildew. The four walked, shoes and boots thumping against the elevated steel walkway in the hopes of safety on the other side.

The walls trembled…and maybe the supports were rusting and old? Maybe the weight of that many at once caused the bridge to fail in a scream of breaking steel.

Four different voices cried out in surprise as they tumbled and fell. Splashing into the sewage as the walkway clattered in a collapse nearby. The first one to break the surface was Marvin.

He hacked…coughed and hoped he didn't swallow anything vile. _"Don't think about what's around you…"_ "Is everybody alright!?" the man shouted, his eyes scanning the forms of Alyssa and Wendy.

"Yeah…still in one piece…" Marvell snarked back as she pulled…something from her dirty blue locks.

"Same here…fuck this is disgusting…"

"Ow…my ankle…" Sherry cried as she leaned against the nearby wall. Pepper whimpered…ears flattening back as Marvin and Wendy quickly moved over to the girl.

"Can you stand on it?"

Sherry tried, hissing in pain as tears formed and streaked down her dirty face. Shaking her head at Wendy, the group was interrupted by a low _grrrrr_….then several sharp barks from Pepper. The little dog's ears were flat, teeth bristling in the amber light as it looked at the darkness of the north tunnel…then barked some more.

Now one thing that Ashcroft had learned in this nightmare…never assume your safe. She stepped forward with Wendy…the younger girl shining her flashlight into the inky gloom of roiling sewage.

Something moved in the distance, barely picked up by the light as Pepper kept up her shrill barking.

"You see that?" Wendy whispered, her senses flaring as whatever it was…moved. A set of reptilian eyes broke the surface…then the elongated snout of the largest alligator any of them had seen. It lunged, a row of teeth grabbing onto the broken steel of the walkway as it wrenched it away in a horror of strength.

"MARVIN! GRAB SHERRY AND RUN!" Ashcroft screamed in terror. Little did she know her continually running recorder had gotten the perfect view of the monster as she started to run through the sewage with Wendy on her heels.

Lieutenant Branagh didn't even think. All he saw was a row of teeth…splashing water…then his arms lifting up Sherry and running after the fleeing women. He pumped his legs, adrenaline bursting through his veins as the mutated gator started to give chase. Any pain he felt…was gone. Pushed away by fear and the urge to live.

Wendy ran, her face flushed with dread while weaving past a floating pile of refuse. The water sloshed around her waist…getting everywhere as the blonde woman looked back.

Alyssa's eyes widened, the abomination rearing back to lunge while her legs pumped for more speed in the river of shit.

"LEFT!"

The two females swerved near the wall, jaws snapping the air they had just inhabited while the ground shook.

"Fuck…FUCK! FUCK!" Wendy cried out as she sprinted with her heart racing in her throat. _"One bite and any of us could die! Instantly!"_

Sherry held onto her little chihuahua, the canine trembling with fear as Marvin carried her in his life saving arms. He charged forward, teeth gritted while passing another floating pile of flotsam.

"Mr. Marvin! It's going to attack on our side!" Sherry cried out as the gargantuan beast prepared to lunge.

The policeman surged to the middle near Ashcroft as the beast snapped the air like the jaws of death. He honestly thought some hairs were skinned off by the closeness of the beast.

"There! Something's up ahead!" Wendy hollered as she pointed toward the tunnel's end…and a large pipe crossing the area ahead. She quickly looked back…and surged forward at the last moment. The jaws of snapping teeth almost got her, blue strands almost taken as the fifteen year old tried to push more speed into her legs to reach that end room.

"JUMP OVER!" Marvin roared as he displayed an olympian feat of agility and cleared the pipe…with a girl in his arms and a bite wound threatening to come apart at the stitches. It was flaring pain as he landed and turned to see Ashcroft and Marvell clear the pipe…of flammable gas.

The gator lunged, its maw open to kill…and found itself wedged on the sealed tube of fuel as it punctured new holes. Growling with anger, it started to wrestle with the object as the diseased eyes watched the humans.

Branagh pulled his sidearm one handed, clutching the terrified Sherry as sweat and filth ran rivulets down his darkened skin. Aiming at the pipe, he took a deep breath of stench air and spilling gas.

"Yippie ki-yay, motherfucker"

The bullet left the gun's chamber in a flash of chemicals, then burrowed into the exposed gas line a brief moment later.

An explosion of heat and broken metal shards erupted in a fireball, taking the giant alligator's head with it in a spray of bone and flesh while the remains shuddered in the tunnel behind. Gore coated the nearby walls along with heavy scorch marks. A few embers of fire burned…but the monster was dead as the lieutenant lowered his weapon.

"Christ…god damn it…" Marvell breathed deep lungful's of putrid air…and felt relief at still being alive. Even with her clothes soaked in raw sewage…her armor and hair stinking something awful…she knew it could have ended with another of them dead.

"Did you just quote Die Hard?" Alyssa asked the policeman who gave a small smile and shrug.

"It's a good line. And I've always wanted to say it" Branagh answered without a sense of apology as he slogged toward a ladder bolted to the left wall.

"I liked it…" Sherry admitted.

"Thanks Sherry. Now I need you to hold on tight while I climb this ladder. Can you do that?"

Getting a smile from the ten year old, Branagh gave one last test of the rungs…and started to climb as the girl held on.

"Man…it would've been cool if I got to blow up teeth-face…." Wendy muttered as she started to climb upward to the platform above.

Alyssa chortled, barely heard over the rushing fluid racing around her hips. "Only you would complain about not killing a giant alligator in a sewer"

"Well…yeah? It was a badass shot" Reaching the small platform, she found the lieutenant still carrying Sherry. Moving over to her right foot, Wendy could already see the bruising. Lightly setting her hands on the injury, the child hissed and whimpered.

"Sorry…but the good news is your ankle is sprained, not broken. Still…you won't be walking on it for a few days"

"Oh…" Sherry grimaced. "It hurts…"

"Don't worry, I'll carry you until you can walk again" the lieutenant uttered, his voice of fatigue filled with iron determination.

"Guess I'll be leading this time" Alyssa said, her voice taking a harder edge as she started to lead the group away from the sewer line and down another hallway of left and right turns.

A minute of walking had the four at a staircase, the bottom steps and nearby right wall streaked with dried blood. A few empty beer bottles lay at the bottom step, their spilled contents buzzing with flies.

Aiming upward among the flight, Ashcroft tried to blow a strand of air away that was being an annoying pest. It lingered, bobbing as she ascended the concrete steps toward the middle platform. More streaks of blood and an abandoned hard hat lay there, but no zombies are other horrors waited. Swinging around the leftward corner, the reporter breathed a sigh of relief at the second part of the stairwell sat silent.

"God…I keep expecting another gator to show up…" the older woman admitted as she continued upward with soft steps.

"I know what you mean. That thing was stupidly huge" Wendy chimed in as she took up the rear.

"How much you want to bet that sucker came from the zoo?" Marvin asked with a teasing tone of jest. It was strained…tired, but it still got a snort from the teenager.

"I'm not taking that bet"

Alyssa reached the top of the long flight of stairs, which led to a walkway that was only decorated by a railing on the left…and more handprints of gore that led to a metal door set in the right wall. The stenciled painted letters across the rusting surface proclaimed its intent.

"Hey…the control room. Maybe we can find a map to get out of this damn maze" Marvin suggested as he looked down the steel walkway. Still carrying Sherry, the man heard the churning of water as he approached the drop-off.

The little dog pipped, a small bark as the group eyed the lowered bridge below. Following the pathway, Sherry pointed with a small smile.

"Look!"

There was a yellow tram sitting silent, the vehicle ready to follow the tracks leading into the darkened depths. The headlights of the vehicle were lit up, piercing the distant gloom…and the familiar emblem of the Umbrella Corporation emblazoned the side like a cancer.

"Why the hell do those bastards have a tram-way under the sewer?" Wendy asked, her voice wracked with suspicion.

"I don't know and I don't care. It's a way out of this fucking place. Now let's get down there" Alyssa urged as she moved back to the door.

She paused, her left hand halfway to the knob. Sprayed blood and elongated fingerprints decorated the surface, a small stink of copper that made her give a quick nod to Wendy.

The girl moved, flanking the other side as both women gave a knowing look. It was a safe bet to assume infected were on the other side.

"You take right, I'll go left"

Wendy gave a curt nod, her fatigue pushed away despite the state of her dress and the recent hardships. Gripping her firearm, the girl gave one last breath to steady herself as her hand lightly trembled…and Ashcroft pushed the door open to the control room.

There were five of them scattered about, several had visible bites along their arms…one had a grievous wound near her neck while the hard hat still sat on the infected head.

A man was only six feet from Alyssa, brushing against the wall as he let out a rasp. The woman fired, the .45 jumping with a heavier kick…but the weapon did its job as bone and brain sprayed across the nearby surfaces.

Marvell shot twice, clean hits at the walking corpse approaching along the long right wall of lockers. The girl cursed as the first round tore out the neck…but the second did the trick as the body crumpled. The teenager turned, aiming at the next as the overweight male approached with a moan of hunger.

The .45 barked three more times, ending the suffering of the infected as they limped toward their doom. Wendy dropped the fat man with three shots, the man absorbing too much damage for her liking as the third round finally tore through his right eye in an explosion of viscera. Dropping like a sack of manure, the room went silent as the smell of primer wafted the air.

"Thank god they were spread out, that would've been a bitch to handle in a group" Wendy admitted as she blinked heavily. Her foot nudged a few empty casings and her ears rung…but not one of them had gotten too close.

"Damn right…_Would've been easier with Claire…poor girl"_

Alyssa shook the depressing thought away. They had tried their best…it just didn't matter after that half zombie landed on her.

Marvin stepped in, his charge still holding Pepper tight as the small dog yipped once again. The Mp5 jounced against his back, its sling digging into the shoulder, but Branagh could bear discomfort for this young innocent.

"Hey…Pepper found an elevator" Sherry pointed before petting the little dog that kept her spirits from crushing completely.

"Well…more like a lift…" the older female relented as she approached. It was yellow…the floor a grating of steel while matching railings lined the sides. Sitting in the corner, the reporter stepped on.

"It's got power and leads down"

"Good enough for me" Wendy shrugged as the group quickly gathered on the small lift. Pushing the green button, the machinery instantly hummed before lowering to secondary control room below.

She had her gun raised with Alyssa, both women expecting more of the infected to inhabit this lower room…but it was empty. A large window overlooked the treatment pool outside with a line of computers right below the glass. The probably could lower or raise the bridge from either level…but most of this equipment was used for treatment and data collection if the survivors had to guess.

A lone door sat to the right of the console in the corner. It hung open, letting in the swirling sounds of water and smells that most would find unpleasant.

Ashcroft took point, stepping out onto the walkway. It turned right…then led to the nearby bridge.

"It's clear"

Beginning to move at a hurried pace, the group's feet clanged against the metalwork as they crossed the roiling water below. Reaching the far end, none of them cared about the different paths into the sewers. No…all they cared about was the tram down a small set of stairs to their left.

They approached the door, the partition sliding open with a small hiss of power.

"I guess somebody was really unlucky…" Marvin commented as he studied the access panel to the right…and the dismembered hand resting there. A small wrist band was still sitting around the remains of the wrist, it's chip reader glowing blue with access.

"Just be glad we didn't have to search this place for this access wrist card" Wendy replied as she grimaced…and pulled the piece of technology off the severed appendage. Walking through the doorway of the subterranean tram car, the survivors finally felt…at ease with how clean and bright it was inside.

Marvin sat down on a bench, but made sure Sherry was comfortable first.

Alyssa and Wendy moved to the front, their eyes scrutinizing the simple controls. A single lever among some dial readouts was the only apparatus at the front. Looking through the window, all the two could see was darkness beyond the heavy beams of light.

Ashcroft pushed the lever forward, her vision narrowing. "I don't know how or why Umbrella built all of this below the city, but I'm going to find out…and tell the world of what they've done"

"For all of those that can't" Wendy murmured as the tram slowly slid into the depths of darkness and their final hours in this living nightmare…

**Damn…this took a lot longer to write than I thought. I blame constant six day work weeks of 50-60 hours! And the fact it took me three days to decide on Claire….ahhh! I felt awful doing that, but I couldn't just have Kincaid be the only fatality! And it had to be one of the women…I couldn't just kill Elliot, too easy. So, one of them had to go. Still feel bad though.**

**Btw…how did you like Marvin's kill of the giant gator? I thought it was good, but then I did write it haha.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and leave some positive reviews! Or at least enjoy it!**

**Alyssa: Do you think our destination has some showers? I could kill somebody for a chance to get this stench and…ugh…**

**Wendy: Probably not**

**Sherry: I just hope there aren't any monsters there…**

**Marvin: Don't worry, we'll protect you kiddo**

**Pepper: Yip! Yip!**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


	18. Decisions, Decisions

**Hey everybody! I'm back with another chapter! I am sorry for the delay, but I've been working 6 days a week for awhile now and just needed to step away from writing for a few days. But now I am back to continue these last few chapters! TBH, not much to say really except I hope you all enjoy what I've written. Reviews are welcome but not necessary.**

**I don't own any media or anime!**

**Now…prepare to re-enter the world of survival horror…**

**Chapter 18: Decisions, Decisions**

* * *

**October 2****nd**** 5:19 p.m. Raccoon University**

Cindy sipped the lukewarm water from the bottle, her eyes on the hissing static of the electronic screen nearby. Sitting at one of the station chairs, the waitress had hoped for more news…more anything from the president, but there was nothing. Nothing but the weight of nuclear annihilation if they failed to find an escape route as the center screen continued to buzz static. Casting a slow look toward Elizabeth at the far end of the room, Cindy was curious of the map spanning the back wall of the area past the small break area. Standing slowly, she made her way past the two officers who were taking inventory of the supplies from the arms locker.

Joining the mayor's daughter, Cindy studied the university layout for several moments.

"Find anything?" Lennox asked before finishing off the lukewarm water.

Elizabeth traced her finger along the map, her index tip smudging the glass before slow acknowledgement creased her brow. "I…think so. See past this hallway? It leads to the back plaza then connects to the loading dock. I know it's a long shot, but see this secondary yard? I think…it can fit a helicopter"

"But what if there isn't one? We would go all that way for nothing" Cindy asked with a voice cracked with hopelessness.

"There could be some still flying around to save people?" It was a voice laced with brokenness…of determined fate.

Rita had heard the two, stepping up to the large map. Brushing a few errant bangs away, she traced the route as Elliot continued to inventory their ammunition finds. He had stayed silent since the broadcast, vision haunted as death drew closer with every passing minute.

"We would have no idea what's there. It could be a dead end…but if there are still helicopters searching for survivors and we signal one…they could set down in this secondary yard" Rita finished before crossing her arms across her chest.

"Let's give it a shot since we're dead anyway. Might as well give one last roll of the dice" Elliot uttered from the front of the room. Standing up as he slung the large elephant gun over his shoulder, the lone man turned to the three with arms spread. "In a little over twelve hours, we're goners. If I'm going to die, I want to die fighting…not sitting in this room wallowing in depression as we await the grim reaper"

Warren slowly nodded in agreement, her face scrunched up as the stress tried to take hold…but she pushed it down. "Your right. We've come too far to quit now. I say we try to signal a helicopter or…I dunno? Hotwire a truck? This is the loading dock, there could be a semi-truck to use as a battering ram toward the city outskirts"

"Then this is the plan?" Cindy asked in a low voice, her wavering tone trying to stay strong despite her fear and exhaustion.

"Yeah…we make our way to the rear courtyards and hopefully…" The officer trailed off then, knowing that everything needed to go their way if they were to survive.

"Grab whatever ammo you need. Not much, but there's some" Elliot waved to the nearby table by the arms locker. Leaning against the wall of consoles and screens, he waited as the static hissed and danced off the walls.

It was meager pickings. Eight rounds for a .38 and twenty 9mm along with a lone grenade. Cindy knew what she would take. Scooping up the eight bullets, she had the ghost of a smile as Rita and Warren split the remaining rounds. The policewoman did take the fragmentation grenade, but that was understandable for an officer of the law.

There was no fanfare as the four left the security office and moved across the cavernous entrance hall to the door directly across from them. Moving through dying shafts of light from the large windows, the group knew the sun would set in the coming hour.

A secondary doorway to the student affairs office hung partly open halfway along the length of the far wall past the reception desk, but investigating would only waste time as the group ignored the temptation to look inside. No…they had a set path to the loading dock.

Rita cast a dubious look at the double doors that would lead to the front of the university. They all knew of the infected outside and had no desire to check. Swiftly moving toward the wooden barrier with the light echo of footsteps, the shorter blonde grasped the knob as the others got ready.

"Everybody…don't take risks. We've come to far to get killed now"

Affirmative nods came from the other three, all having weapons ready. Elliot took point, his pistol pointing toward the hardwood floor as he took a long breath. The weight of his large rifle dug into his tired shoulders reassuringly as he gave a quick nod to Rita.

The door was pushed open, giving the survivors access as they poured into the connecting hallway.

There were two infected students beating against a hallway window, drawn to the noise of more undead outside on the campus lawn.

"Run past them!" Edwards commanded as he sprinted down the hallway lined with old paintings of scholars and artwork. The two zombies snarled, slowly turning to pursue the living flesh as they ran past in a furor of speed and haste. One stumbled, swiping at Cindy who was last in line in their bid to reach the connecting door to the next hallway portion.

The scared waitress almost felt that swipe, gnarled fingers trying to grab hold of her bobbing ponytail as she evaded their sorrowful moans. Lungs and legs pumping for more oxygen, she didn't dare look backwards as fear made her swift.

Thumping fists on the nearby windows were drowned out as Elliot reached the connecting door and swung it open. Another zombie loomed, standing near an open doorway set in the left wall only ten feet away. Blood graced the surface, a spray of death as the officer raised his weapon in a snap of reflex. Already turning its infected gaze toward the survivors, the lone male fired off two shots at the corpse missing part of his face from a bite.

Bits of gristle flew from the neck and temple, spinning the zombie as it fell near the open doorway.

"Shit!" he cursed as the three women ran past him, Cindy slamming the door shut behind her to slow down the other two infected humans. Knowing it was pointless to waste any more ammunition, Elliot surged past the corpse he shot as it started to rise.

He could already hear the other infected beating on the closed doorway courteous of Cindy, their echoing rasps mixing with the dead man he had shot. _"I really hope I didn't just kick up a whole nest of these bastards. The last thing we need is the ones outside getting in"_

The hallway turned left at a ninety-degree angle up ahead, the finely decorated walls cast in orange from the setting sun outside. Rita and Elizabeth reached the corner first, both women swinging wide with firearms raised and ready.

The path split. A staircase on the far right against the wall leading upward…and a door set straight ahead. This one was plain looking, but well maintained as Rita surged forward past a decorative table set with a vase.

"This leads to the loading passage, don't bother with the upstairs" she informed quickly as the shorter officer gripped the knob and twisted.

Elizabeth knew they couldn't get sidetracked by wandering off in the search of supplies. Moving through the opened door, her blue eyes scanned for any undead while the smell of concrete and dust assaulted her senses.

"It's empty" the woman quickly informed as the others filed in. Elliot closed the door quietly with a light _click_ of the latch in the hopes of losing any pursuing undead.

Continuing to study the rear hallway, Elizabeth felt a small shiver goose bump her arms as florescent lighting poured down from the ceiling. A pile of furniture and debris stacked to the ceiling prevented any further progress to their immediate right, leaving the only option of left down the corridor.

"Where do you think it leads?" Cindy inquired as she studied the impromptu barricade. Her voice was a light echo in the stillness, scared and soft with a bare melody of her normal kindness.

"I'd guess the cafeteria for starters. This is how they would move any incoming supplies without disturbing the students" Elliot responded with a shallow sigh. Odds were that the people who built this were either trapped, dead, or undead. _"And they're probably younger than me. Just damn kids trying to stay alive…"_

He dispelled the thought, turning away from the blocked passage. He would go crazy if he kept thinking about it. Starting to walk forward, his shoes lightly echoed against the concrete flooring while his senses strained to hear for any horrors ahead.

"Testing Passage…" Warren murmured as she walked past a metal doorway set into the wall on her right. The words were bright red, stenciled against the steel in stenciled shapes while a card reader and keypad adorned the wall near the handle.

The mayor's daughter knew better than to test the locked barrier. Even if she had the card…she didn't have the code. All she would do is look like a stereotypical blonde ditz.

Cindy reached for it and pulled, her arm muscles lightly straining in a grunt of feminine effort. Her chest lightly heaved from the futile exercise while a small pout formed on her face.

"It's locked. I was really hoping it wouldn't be" Lennox said in tone of disappointment.

"_That was textbook blonde! Why would she think that would work!?" _Elizabeth thought with widened eyes of surprise.

"Uh…don't worry about it, Cindy. Our goal is the loading docks anyway" Elliot tried to reassure the woman as a hundred blonde jokes ran through his head. Ignoring the stare from Rita, the man opted to keep them to himself as he took the first corner.

A second corner put them on the same path moments later, revealing a fifty foot long hallway…and a set of double doors recessed into the material on their right hand side.

"There! That's our exit!" Rita encouraged as the four sprinted with tendrils of hope bursting through their hearts. Reaching the double doors of steel, the female officer gripped the handle and pushed…to no effect.

"What? It's locked?"

Trying again, the same outcome transpired as the heavy doors refused to open.

"Oh no…" Cindy whispered, her gaze set on the card reader set into the wall. A small light glowed red, insidious like blood in the concrete corridor.

"We…need a keycard?" Officer Williams muttered before slapping her left palm against the metal work. "Dammit! Give us a break! Open up dammit!" she raged, the sounds of flesh slapping against the door before she finally gave up…and lowered her forehead to rest against the material.

"Dammit…where the hell can we even find the key to this damn door? It could be anywhere…" the stressed survivor uttered as despair wracked her vocal cords.

"Shit…" Brushing a hand among his lightly browned hair, the officer took a deep breath to quell his own anger and disappointment. Looking at the surrounding wall, the policeman knew there was no way to break through. The concrete was no doubt thick…and the weapons they had would fail against the door. Gripping his pistol, Elliot briefly contemplated shooting the card reader…but knew that only worked in movies. If anything, that would seal them inside until the nuke dropped.

Miss Warren thought, crossing her arms beneath her sizable bust while still keeping a grip on her pistol. She could feel the sweat and stink coming off of this ruined dress….the grime of her hair while staring at the locked entranceway. Then a thought formed.

"What about the President's office? Wouldn't he have keys to everything in this building?"

"Hey…yeah! We could try searching there!" Cindy said in a surge of enthusiasm.

"That's…not a bad idea" Rita replied with hints of caution. Straightening herself and trying to smooth her dirty uniform, the policewoman knew they would have to back track to the staircase in order to reach that particular room.

"I really hope none of those zombies broke in from outside"

"C'mon Cindy…don't jinx us. Our luck is bad already" Elliot scolded with annoyance toward the waitress as they rapidly walked back to the staircase hallway.

They stopped at the door mere feet away from the impromptu barricade of furniture, Rita pressing her ear to the material as silence reigned.

She couldn't hear anything…but that meant nothing. There could be zombies right on the other side waiting to take a bite from her neck.

"If they're out there…we shoot them. If not…stay silent" Williams warned in a harsh tone of stress. Gripping the knob, she slowly twisted…and pushed the door open.

A light hiss of hinges was the only sound as the four moved into the adjoining hallway. Rasps of hunger came from around the corner…low moans indicating more than one of the infected. But they didn't grow agitated as Rita slowly moved toward the staircase in a slow sidestep. Keeping her firearm trained on that nearby corner, she made it to the first step.

The others were light on their feet, taking care not to disturb the undead beyond. Reaching the second floor, none dared to utter a word as they walked across the carpeting past the railing of fine wood. A bust of a man's head sat in a corner, filling the hallway among more paintings of the University.

Cindy found herself slowly breathing, her heart thudding in her chest as the upper hallway followed a similar path as the one below. It turned to the right twenty feet away, presumably leading back along a straight hallway to the main hall.

There were two doors. One on their left and one on the right. She moved slowly toward the left door that was partly open, keeping in mind the silence as a rasp echoed from the floor below. Cindy peered in, a strain of dread clutching her throat as the scent of rotting copper became prominent.

Dried blood stained the floor of the art gallery, flies buzzing at the feast among the artwork and statues on display. She ignored the décor, letting a small sigh of relief escape her lips at the absence of zombies or monsters. Turning away, she gave a silent nod to the others while Rita and Elliot braced the wall around the opposite doorway while a gold plaque adorned the nearby wall.

'**University President's Office'**

Another sorrowful moan of hunger wafted upward from the first floor, pausing the officers for a few moments until Rita pushed the wooden door open. Elliot surged inside, but no yells of monstrous snarls came as the three women quickly joined him.

Closing the door gave the survivors a breath of relief…or as much of one as spatters of crimson blood sprayed across the reception desk along the right wall.

"I hate the smell of rotting blood…" Cindy gulped out, her eyes tracking the horror…and pieces of flesh splayed across the desk. The computer was knocked over, destroyed by the fall to the floor as the group quickly assessed the waiting room.

A comfortable couch ran along the left wall near some end tables covered with out of date magazines. Right past the pieces of furniture was a second door set in the corner, a smear of blood gracing the knob as the partition hung open a crack.

"There could be some inside…" Elliot warned as he stepped up to the door. Nudging it open with his foot, the hinges gave a light creak of protest before he stepped in.

A startled rasp came from across the darkened room as a lone zombie wavered behind a large desk of mahogany. An older male, his suit was tattered with several bite wounds torn into his arms. Dried blood trailed down his chest from a wound in his neck, the gristle almost reflective in the office. Starting to stumble forward, the former university president hit the desk in a stumble of pathetic-ness.

Elliot aimed, taking a deep breath as the horror started to work his way around the heavy furniture. An eruption of gunfire flashed in the room, bringing in the stink of cordite as the slug tore through the infected brain.

Dropping to the floor in the corner, the zombie lay still as Elliot stepped forward. "It's clear" he told the others morosely as they filed in. Moving toward the desk, the officer eyed the laptop as the three women started to search. _"I really hope those zombie's downstairs didn't hear that…no. Shut up and don't think like that"_ the policeman thought silently, his hopes that the walls muffled the sound.

He pushed the worry back under the computer's glow. It was still on, the light dancing along the wall as he sat in the plush chair.

"You're not going to find a keycard on that laptop, Elliot" Rita admonished. Pulling open a cabinet drawer in the corner, she found nothing of note except papers and files.

"There's a video file time stamped from September twenty ninth…"

It piqued the others interest as they gathered around the desk, their faces cast in an azure illumination before Edwards hit play.

It was the University President, still alive sitting at this very desk. Anger and betrayal adorned his older features, a snarl of hatred on his lips.

"_That bastard Randall…he doomed us all. The surviving students and staff…the remnants of our security teams…and myself! He stole the spare keycard for the loading dock and ran off to the water treatment facility under the university! Damn fool…thinks he can escape via the old subway, but it's been sealed for years by Umbrella and the former administration. The only thing down there are waterways and the emission tower for the university…at least we won't have to worry about loss of power"_

The university president let out a sigh, fatigue seeming to age him by a decade in seconds. "_The streets are pandemonium…those things are everywhere outside. Greg…the researcher from Umbrella says he's working on a cure in his lab, but it's too late to save this city"_

He leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. _"David King…one of the maintenance workers says he's going to take those that want to follow to try and find an escape route. Maybe he'll succeed and save a few of the students here…I think I'll join them. Better than dying here"_

The video ended soon after that, leaving the four in a moment of silence. It's obvious this man never got the chance to attempt to escape judging by his bloodied corpse in the corner.

"So…if we find this Randall guy in the treatment plant, we find the keycard to open that locked door?" Elizabeth inquired as Elliot stood.

"Looks like it. And we'll probably have to backtrack to the elevator to reach it" Rita reasoned. Walking into the waiting room past the gore strewn desk, the four survivors double checked their weapons as the possible lead gave them a sense of hope.

Elliot reached the door first, slowly turning the knob to re-enter the hallway. Pulling it open, snarls and hungry moans hit like a hammer of noise as the officer raised his berretta to the source.

"Shit…they did hear that gunshot" he muttered in annoyed contempt as five zombies climbed the stairs. They were near the top…and three more were following with swaying steps and hunger. The first turned her head, dried blood soaking her blouse as a hideous neck wound revealed severed muscle and sinew.

"Go! Now!" Elliot commanded with fearful authority as the three women sprinted out of the office. Firing at the lead undead, he grimaced as the round tore through the shoulder. The zombie staggered…but the others grew excited from the presence of warm flesh.

The officer turned and ran around the corner after the others, knowing trying to take on that many would just lead to his death. Plus, it was a waste of ammo.

Rita ran at the front with Cindy, both women feeling a sense of impending dread from the small horde no doubt pursuing them. Glancing back as they passed a few administrative offices with the doors either barricaded or broken in, Williams felt a small sense of relief with Elliot in the rear near Elizabeth as the group ran down the long hallway.

Snarls pursued, the first walking corpse rounding the corner in a drunken stagger…and was rapidly joined by more of the horrors.

"We just have to reach that elevator…that should shake them" Elizabeth panted as she ran toward the distant door. A sorrowful moan made her cringe, knowing that those infected were on their trail to eat her flesh in a horror of tearing muscle and agony.

Cindy practically slammed into the door, flinging it open in a haste of adrenaline. Moving onto the balcony in the main hall, she blew a few wisps of hair away before heading toward the nearby staircase. Keeping her .38 clutched in nervous hands, all the woman could think of was how often they seemed to run for their lives as Elliot slammed the door shut. Feet thumping down the carpeted stairs, the four heard the dead already banging at that closed door while they beat a hasty sprint to the elevator.

They only had to wait a second for it to open, revealing the gore strewn horrors inside as the survivors rushed in.

"I wish I could forget this smell…" Cindy gulped while Rita hit the button for the third level of the basement.

"Better than dealing with close to a dozen zombies" the shorter officer answered back. The doors closed, sealing them in with the gore of death…and just as that small horde broke down the door into the main hall.

Machinery whirred…the four feeling the sensation through their feet as Elliot scowled. "Dammit…that was my fault. If I hadn't killed the university president…"

"It's okay Elliot…it was the safest way to deal with that zombie. Who knows what would've happened if you tried to beat it with your rifle. You could've slipped…that dead man could have grabbed hold beforehand" Cindy tried to reassure him…while breathing through her mouth. The stench was just too much in this enclosed space.

"I guess…" the man replied with a frown.

A minute later the elevator stopped, the doors sliding open to reveal a well illuminated concrete hallway. It was deserted, the lingering smell of water and moisture filling their nostrils while sounds of rushing liquid echoed from up a head.

Stepping out with their weapons raised, none saw any abominations, zombie or otherwise along the corridor.

"There's a ladder…" the mayor's daughter pointed out to the right. Set in the nearest corner, a ladder lead downward, presumably to a lower level beyond the reach of the lift they just vacated.

"Ignore it. We have no idea where it lead's and we don't have the time to search every damn area of this place" Rita responded pragmatically. Moving forward along the well-lit passage, the four survivors heard the rushing water get louder at the approaching T-junction.

It was clear. Leading to a railing and closed gate along the right fork, the group saw rushing water below. It churned…moving at a pace of a swift stream.

An infected moan rose from the water below, drawing the gazes of the survivors to the duo of zombies in the canal. Their skin was pallid…crawling with leeches as they stared upward at Cindy and the others.

"Good thing we didn't take that ladder…" Elliot remarked as he moved toward the gate on the left. The size of a typical door, it connected to a steel walkway that ran parallel to the canal below. Hinges squealed as he opened it, which only excited the two zombies below into more groans of protest.

Flecks of rust ran along the railing, ruining the once yellow paint as Elizabeth walked along the narrow route. It smelled of light sewage, but nothing to make her or the others complain. The path turned on a curve to the left, revealing another gate…and a zombie on the other side of said barrier.

The former sewer worker snarled, infected eyes locking onto the humans as it tried to reach them through the bars. The door rattled, but the latch was firm despite the extended arm trying to grab a hold of Elliot. Fingers swiped, hissing through the damp air and under bright lighting as the dead man growled for flesh.

"Anybody see something we can stab this guy with?" Edwards asked as the gate rattled again.

"There isn't" Elizabeth commented after a quick glance along the walkway. Raising her berretta, she stood only a few feet away from the infected worker…and fired.

Miss Warren was a poor shot, but even at this distance she couldn't miss. The 9mm slug tore through the bridge above the nose, passing through the skull in a small burst of coagulated gore. The corpse collapsed to the nearby concrete, a final sigh escaping the ragged lips.

Lowering the gun with a few tendrils of smoke rising from the barrel, the mayor's daughter gave a reassuring nod and grin. "Even I can still hit some things"

"I guess so" Williams supported. They all knew the woman could barely hit the broad side of a barn, but that kill would probably boost her confidence somewhat. Opening the gate soon after, the four survivors moved along the concrete hallway that split off from the canal.

"Two paths…left or right?" Cindy inquired as she looked down both opposing corridors. The left had a few bloody handprints along the wall, leading to a metal door of oxidized green about thirty feet away. The right was a similar gate, showing another raised walkway over the canal of churning water fifty feet away.

"Left. The last thing we need is some alligator jumping out of that canal and eating us…or a shark…" the lone man muttered. He would not go near water in this damn place if he could help it.

"_A giant alligator? Come on…not even that would happen in this city, right?"_ Rita asked herself as the woman looked at the right path once more. "Maybe we should split up? We are looking for a guy named Randall and he could be anywhere down here. After all…" she looked at her watch, dismay written on her face. "We have close to ten hours now"

Elliot contemplated, stroking the growing stubble on his chin. He knew it was a decent idea…but the monsters that could be down here…

"Fine. I'll take Cindy left, you go right with Miss Warren. Stay away from the water and run if something nasty appears. If we haven't found this guy in…half an hour, we reconvene here"

"Sounds like a plan, Elliot…stay safe. You too Cindy" Rita lightly said before heading toward the gate with the mayor's daughter.

Cindy heard the hinges squeal, both women's footfalls reverberating across that canal walkway before they exited through an adjoining door. She breathed deep, balling her left fist before turning to the policeman with a shaky smile. "Lead the way"

Edwards nodded, knowing his partner was trying to keep on a brave face. Walking past the handprints of gore, the duo walked close to the green door…and hoped they hadn't made a mistake splitting up to find this missing Randall and their possible escape…

* * *

Closing the door behind her, Elizabeth and Rita stared down a short passage laden with moisture and dew. It was dimmer, some of the lights burned out above while the two women assessed for threats. Aside from their own breathing and echoes of water, there was just…stillness in the air.

"Nothing…just an empty hallway and another door ahead" Officer Williams commented with a small sense of relief.

"You won't find me complaining"

Increasing their pace, both women reached another door at the end of the short hall. A dull gray metal marred with brown rust, it screamed in protest of rusting hinges as they moved into the next room.

Water rushed below the L-shaped walkway, churning and roiling to some unknown destination as their footfalls gave small echoes. Another doorway loomed across the walkway, set into a small recess of concrete that led further into the water treatment facility.

Turning her gaze north, the taller blonde could see another short bridge across the canal approximately a hundred feet away.

"Hard to believe this is all under the university" Warren commented in a light tone of awe. Just thinking of the engineering and work required to build all of this underground boggled her mind.

"I'm sure facilities like this are under any sizeable city. Just nobody ever thinks about them until something goes wrong" the officer explained. Frankly, she knew nothing about sewers or water treatment…only that it was critical to modern civilization. Walking forward as their shoes reverberated the grating, neither of them saw the darkened shape below the surface of the water.

It sprung upward in a splash, breaking the surface with surprising power before landing on the utility walkway right before the two females. Unleashing a loud _**croooak **_that made the bulbous chin sac of red skin reverberate, the amphibian hunter stared at the two humans with beady eyes. Shifting lightly as rivulets of dirty water traced between its scales, the monster unleased another warble of hunger.

"Oh…crap…" Rita gulped as it turned toward her. Raising her gun in a snap of motion, the woman fired three shots as her companion began to fire. Bullets sang, thudding into its flesh with small spurts of blood…but they both knew pistol rounds seemed to only annoy it.

The abomination lunged, webbed hands ending with sharp points for slashing hissing through the air.

Rita rolled forward, her small frame the only thing that saved her from taking a hit. But the surface was still hard…steel and metals that would probably cause a few bruises later as she gave a small cry.

"Come on! We can't kill it like this!" Elizabeth screamed in fear as she grabbed Rita by the wrist and pulled her upward. Running as the amphibious horror turned with a skin crawling '_**ribbit'**_ the duo desperately ran for the nearby door.

Flinging it open as the beast started to gait after them, the mayoral daughter and policewoman poured through before slamming the door shut with a reverberating bang. Rita gasped for breath, knowing that her escaping roll had not been a perfect success as her left side stung.

The door behind them thudded, shuddering on hinges…and another abominable croak of distorted amphibian sound's came from their left.

"Uh oh…" Warren whispered as a quick glance of the purifying facility lay before them. It was large…spacious. Two levels of walkways and paths surrounded a pool of water below, one barely above the liquid as several pieces of machinery beeped and kept feeding data on impurities. A distant door across the cavernous facility was covered in obvious sprays of blood…but this was all secondary to the upright amphibian halfway down the main facility path. A second stood near another door tucked into the corner across the treatment facility, its bulbous chin sac vibrating as the closed exit behind the survivors shuddered once more.

"Damn! Uh…uh…" Rita looked around in a frantic gaze as the closest beast started to saunter closer, its throat growing and receding like a balloon. The route straight ahead was a dead end…

Her eyes settled on the door to their immediate right. "In here!" the officer shouted in growing dread as the monsters grew closer. The other woman pushed it open, running inside with Rita close behind. Slamming it shut, the survivors locked it in the hopes of slowing down the genetic horrors.

It was a restroom…a dead-end restroom with a few stalls set in the far wall and a lone sink.

"No…" Miss Warren whispered as the weight of their predicament came crashing down. They were trapped…in a bathroom with aquatic monsters approaching them at this very moment.

The metal door jounced on its hinges, the blows of amphibian horrors pounding the material.

Rita cursed, knowing that the two of them were going to die. Even with all their remaining ammunition…they couldn't kill all of them outside. There was nowhere to go…no vents to crawl through.

The door shuddered again, joined by croaking outside that made their skin crawl.

"What do we do!? We're going to die!" Elizabeth cried, her body language showing distress…fear of impending death as she hugged herself in a small effort to console herself in these final moments.

"We…" Rita looked around for something…anything to use. Her vision caught a glint in the far corner stall past the partially open door. Surging over as the metal barrier shuddered and groaned, the police officer entered the stall of stale urine and scented chemicals.

"No way…no fucking way are we this lucky" the shorter woman uttered in absolute incredulity.

Resting near the toilet in the corner…was a grenade launcher. An M79 Grenade Launcher with half a dozen 40mm explosive rounds sitting in an opened box. Puddles of blood and a few pieces of gore covered the nearby wall…perhaps the missing owners.

Rita didn't hesitate to snatch up the weapon and spare shells, running toward the stall door as she snapped open the breech. There was another shell inside, just waiting to fly. She pocketed the spare ammunition in her hip pouch, keeping it open for immediate use.

"Liz! Get ready!" the officer warned as she pressed the weapon to her shoulder…and aimed at the failing, metal door. The weapon was reassuring…a salvation to their impending doom as terror sweat dripped down her forehead.

The buxom blonde aimed her pistol, hands shaking as fear fueled adrenaline burned through her veins. "Were going to live…I'm going to live…" she silently repeated while Rita never wavered from her aim.

The hinges ripped, the door buckling under the blows as croaking of insidiousness reverberated the air. Webbed feet stepped in, leading up powerful legs as dangling arms almost hit the floor. The blue skinned horror turned, the fresh bullet wounds still weeping red.

'_**Crrrroooakkkk'**_

"Not today frog legs!" Rita hollered before she pulled the launchers trigger. The weapon _'whumped' _sending the projectile across the bathroom far faster than movies would have you believe. It exploded against the savage fiend, rending flesh and embedding shrapnel in the hide as nearby tile shattered. Flung against the wall while fresh blood and ichor sprayed, Rita started to reload her newfound friend. An empty shell dropped to the dirty tile with a clang…and the next monster appeared while the officer scrambled for a fresh grenade. It had taken some splash damage to an arm, the hide broken by bits of shrapnel.

"Reload faster, Rita!" Elizabeth screamed as she opened fire with her pistol. Flashes of light reflected from the nearby mirror, her hands trying to stay steady. Out of four shots fired, only two managed to hit the monster in any meaningful way.

Williams snapped the breech shut, a fresh grenade in place as the hunter stepped forward despite the additional two bullet strikes from the taller blonde.

She fired…and the following explosion almost sounded like a _splat_. The genetic horror took the full force of the blast…and exploded in a gristle of strewn gore and ichor across the surfaces of the bathroom. Some hit their shoes…a discharge of carnage that stank like rot.

"Ohhh…" Liz moaned in distress. "That was sooo gross…" she lightly complained as she studied the horror show before her. Pieces of meat smoked…stench of burns rising as the officer reloaded with undue haste.

"Better than being torn apart by hunters" she reasoned before stepping past the ravaged pieces of flesh and skin. Entrails had smacked the nearby wall by the trashcan…slowly sliding down as the women emerged from the restroom…and found the third Gamma Hunter making its way along the long walkway.

The throat sac warbled…billowed outward as the genetic mutation croaked with arms almost touching the steel grating of the walking path above the churning pool below.

Officer Williams squeezed off another shell, the light blowback staggering her smaller frame as she braced her feet.

It hit, exploding in a burst of hissing fragments at the Gamma's feet. Flying backward, it landed on its back in a thrash of movement and cries of agony. The legs and lower abdomen had been flayed…ripped open by shrapnel.

"It's a damn miracle we weren't hit with any shrapnel in the bathroom" Rita realized with a shudder.

"I was honestly too scared to think about that" Elizabeth said in an even reply as the monster continued to cry and thrash its limbs. Blood pumped from its legs like a river, an amount that signified severed arteries as it dripped down into the pool below.

A light clang echoed, Rita reloading the M79 once again as the spent shell rolled near their feet.

The Gamma hunter died a minute later, leaving the treatment facility in a strange silence. Water churned…gurgled and flowed below as the two females breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"…I really hope that was all of them" Elizabeth prayed out loud as Rita could only agree.

"Me too…god…I really thought that was it…"

Rita's hands shook from the crashing adrenaline…the fear of death had been so close…if she hadn't looked in that bathroom… _"We would probably be dead now…"_ Her breathing crashed…nerves frayed as she wiped some excess sweat from her brow. "Lets…lets check that far room…we might find something in there despite that blood over the door"

Liz gave assent…her shoes stepping past the deceased creature as the two survivors made their way across the treatment facility…

* * *

Cindy felt a light vibration in the air coming from the direction Rita and Elizabeth had explored, but she and Elliot had bigger things to worry about in this new corridor. Namely…the three zombies at the far end of this U-shaped hallway.

They were most likely workers of this facility judging by the yellow vests and that one of them still wore a hard hat. Crouched over a fourth corpse that had been horrifically torn apart by the ghouls, they tore at entrails and flesh with a snapping of teeth.

A second rumble disturbed the air, causing one to look up in curiosity before settling on the officer and waitress standing at the first corner of the corridor. Letting out a rasp, the woman slowly rose while a few strands of gristle fell from her torn lips.

"Looks like they noticed us" Elliot said with a deadpanned tone.

"I can see that" Cindy answered quickly as her raised weapon trembled.

Raising his police pistol as the trio of corpses started to shamble their way, the man fired at the lead zombie. The round tore into the sternum, shattering bone and flesh that staggered the infected, but did little to slow it down. Firing again, the second bullet struck the shoulder and spun the body to little effect.

Cindy breathed deeply, willing herself to control her fear._ "Stay calm…aim…you can always run the way you came if they get too close…"_

The blonde squeezed the trigger, her revolver barking a snout of flame. Directed at one of the zombified men, the bullet severed several neck muscles. It let out a rasp…annoyed at the damage while heavy boots took it another step closer.

"A little higher Cindy…come on" the blonde whispered to herself as Edwards finally killed the first corpse with two more expended bullets. Firing again after she carefully aimed, she was greeted with a kill as the body crumpled. Swinging to the last corpse, it had gotten far too close for comfort as both humans backed up slowly.

"If I live through this, I'm putting some serious time in at the range. I'm a cop dammit!" the man complained after he expended three more bullets into the deceased corpse to end its suffering.

"Um…lets concentrate on finding this missing person and reunite with the others. I didn't like the feeling of those vibrations. Maybe we should check on them?" Cindy offered as she studied the fallen bodies. Remorse hit her…remorse that these had once been people, just like her.

Elliot paused, looking back at the doorway they came through a few minutes before. "No…let's keep going. Rita knows how to make sound decisions. If she runs into trouble, they both know to fall back"

"_Unless it was some giant gator or something…then they'd be cut off from us and I couldn't do anything anyway. I probably shouldn't say that last part to Cindy"_

"Let's just keep going" the officer suggested. Stepping over the first corpse and past the other two, he tried not to look at the eaten person at the second turn of the hallway. It was…gruesome to say the least. No doubt those infected had been feeding for hours.

"I really hope that isn't Randall" Cindy gulped as she peered close, her nostrils filled with the scent of decay and copper. Elliot crouched down, using his left hand to pull away some…pieces of meat covering the nametag.

"Derek Nadler…not him" Standing back up, the two moved away from the grisly sight toward the lone door at the end of the hallway. Partially open, Elliot pushed inward to the management office as Cindy kept up her guard.

It was a mess with strewn papers across desks and the floor. Spilled coffee had formed a lake near a trashcan in the corner, stinking of bad java. An information tack board with notices had taken an arching of blood, the crimson dried across hanging memos while another doorway loomed past an overturned chair.

"Just a quick search, Cindy. Nothing crazy" Elliot lightly ordered as his eyes scanned the surfaces of the desks. Most were plain…just a mess of paperwork as he rapidly pulled open drawers in haste. The final desk along the wall yielded a surprise find.

"Hell yes! Some ammo!" the officer grinned as he opened the box of 9mm with a grin.

"_Fifteen…replenishes what I just used"_ popping the current magazine, the male started to reload as Cindy kept up a silent search along other work stations.

Cindy looked at the strange machine in the corner, its single light blinking green as a cylinder about six inches long and two wide sat in a recess. Filled with purple liquid, the object was just waiting to be picked up.

"What's this?" Cindy asked herself in a whisper before taking the object into her grasp. Squinting her gaze, she looked at the machine once more as a small screen burned with words.

'_P-Base Sealing Complete'_

"_P-Base? Is it used for water treatment?"_

Shrugging to herself, the waitress slid it into her pouch for safekeeping. After all, you never knew what could be useful later.

"Hey Cindy? Next room is waiting. Let's go" the officer said with a cock of his head toward the next door.

"Right" Breathing to calm herself as they both took up the sides of the frame, the two pushed it open with silent caution.

Lapping liquid and the familiar scent of water assaulted their senses as both stepped onto the grating of the industrial walkway. Situated ten feet above a pool of slowly churning water, the two were drawn to the lone bridge above the tank of liquid…and the frog-like monster blocking their path to the other side. Past the hunter were two zombies, the two corpses letting out rancid snarls of hunger by the distant doorway set in the corner of the large tank room.

'_Crrooooakkkk'_

The sound was horrible…mixing in with the zombie's cries to make both survivors skin crawl.

"Oh…I am not playing around with this frog asshole!" Elliot yelled in frustrated annoyance as he switched to the large rifle. The gamma hunter stepped forward on powerful legs, its hands almost touching the metal flooring from dangling arms as it croaked again. Cindy stepped back…feeling like a mouse before a tiger as the .38 felt pitiful in her hands.

It wanted to feed…but would not get the chance as Elliot aimed down the sights. Fifteen feet away, its webbed feet thumped against the grating…then the policeman fired.

An eruption of flame belched from the rifle as his shoulder took the stinging brunt of the blowback…and the abominations head exploded into a paste of viscera and gore. It rained down into the water…churning crimson as the body fell backward with a heavy thud of meat and weight.

"How come you can't shoot like that all the time?" Lennox asked innocently despite the approaching duo of plant workers. Breathing in the fresh scent of gore, the woman was taking a wide stance and trying to calm her fearful nerves.

"It's not like I miss on purpose…" the man said annoyedly while reloading the rifle. _"Two left…"_

The revolver cracked fire, sending a .38 slug into the first corpses face. It reeled, the jaw and cheekbone a ruin of flesh while a gurgle of desire rose from the damage.

"Good shot Cindy…now help that man find peace…" the woman whispered to herself. Firing again after a careful aim, she felt pleased as the head blew backwards from a kill shot. Shifting her stance, the second infected moaned in interest as it reached the fallen hunter.

The woman fired, her fear pushed back momentarily as the zombie's left eye exploded into a paste of carnage. Uttering a final sigh…it tumbled into the water below leaving the two survivors alone.

"I hate to say it…but I think you're a natural. Better than me anyway" the man said with a warmth to his voice.

"I hate it though…these used to be people" Lennox replied as they stepped past the dead bodies of monsters.

"I know…but if you didn't…"

The unfinished sentence was obvious for both as they hurried across the bridge and catwalks to the next doorway. Ripped partially off the hinges, the man and woman could guess the cause as they hurried across another short bridge above churning water to another door on the other side.

It opened easily, revealing a long room lined with several water testing computers…and Rita with Elizabeth crouched over a corpse in the corner. Blood streaked the walls near the body…even more had puddled across the floor in a buzzing frenzy of flies that fed on the rot.

Williams spun, her new weapon pressed into her shoulder at the sound of an opening door. "Oh, thank god…I thought you were more of those damn hunters" she said in relief.

"You ran into one?" Cindy asked in surprise.

"Three actually…we fought them off in a bathroom with Rita's new found friend" the mayors daughter informed them as the group stared down at the body. He had been older…maybe around Marvin's age but still fit…at least until he blew his brains out judging by the nearby gun. There were horrible gouges of flesh ripped open across his chest, hopefully after he died. A vial of red liquid was clutched in his hand near a note…and a nametag hung by his breast pocket with a keycard inside.

"Randall…Randall Emetts" Elliot said lowly before reaching for the keycard.

"That has to be it…the card for the loading dock" Elizabeth whispered in hope as Rita reached for the vial and note.

The female officer began to read…her eyes scanning the paper in haste.

_If your reading this, I failed to make __**Daylight**__. I managed to get the T-Blood from Thanatos thanks to Greg…but I still need the V- Poison and the P-Base to make this cure. That fucking idiot of a university president thinks I ran to the old subway to escape? No…the world needed a cure for this accursed disease…I had to try. But the monsters down here…those horrible hunters…I can't get the P-Base. Let alone the V-Poison at the top of the emission tower._

_Please…finish the cure. If you do, use the laboratory on the 3__rd__ floor of the university…the proper equ—_

The noted ended…and Rita looked at the vial of blood in her hand.

"A cure…"

"But Wendy made two right? So, we could just ignore it and head to the loading dock" Elliot stated while he pocketed the valuable card. In his eyes, there was no need to make another cure if their friends had some already.

"But…we don't know if they're dead or not. We have no idea where any of them are now. The four of us could be the only ones left" Cindy's hand shook…then the female abruptly stood. "No! We should make this cure! Just in case none of the others make it…" saying those last words softly with a hand pressed to her dirty shirt.

Rita looked at the determined waitress, then her wristwatch. More time had elapsed than she thought. It was already past eleven…meaning less than seven hours remained.

"I'm with Cindy on this. We need to decide on making this cure…or trying to run now"

"Time is running out…we can't get sidetracked if we do this" Rita voiced as she studied her fellow officer. He was pacing, grasping his neck with an open palm.

"Crap…what if we run out of time? Or get trapped? Or killed because of this!?" the man yelled, his frustration palpable in the room as water continued to churn past the open doorways.

"We owe it to all that people that have died Elliot…to make sure this can never happen again" Rita reasoned as her friend continued to pace, his mind trying to make a decision.

"_We all could die on this damn task! But I can't let them go by themselves…what if they need me and I'm not there because I ran off…Shit, why can't we just cut and run…" _he paused…looking at the three tired and worried survivors….and the opposition crumbled.

"Alright, but if we don't find this V-poison and P-base in time, we cut and run. I'm sorry, but finding a cure won't help if we can't even escape before the bomb hits"

The three women smiled, a small bit of warmth in the sea of death.

"Okay, we've decided. Now does anybody know where we can get the P-base first?" Elizabeth asked the group as she double checked the doors for any more monsters.

"You mean this?" Cindy asked, her hand pulling out the strange cannister to show it to the others.

"…well, that's two out of three. Maybe we can pull this off" Elliot simply reasoned…and wondered how he was so distracted by reloading his gun earlier he missed the kind waitress finding such an object.

"I saw a door outside this room tucked in the corner. We haven't checked it yet, but it leads somewhere" officer William's pointed with a thumb over her shoulder.

"As good an idea as any" the lone male shrugged as the group quickly vacated the room to try and find the last critical component for _**Daylight…**_

**12:03 a.m. October 3****rd**** The abandoned Subway Tunnel**

Silent hallways and passages had been the only threat so far after the four left the water treatment facility. Fully expecting shambling zombies or more hunters to jump out of the shadows from that first doorway, there had been little except dust and the smells of particles to go with it. Lighting had been dim…several of the old bulbs burnt out or in disrepair as the four hurried along toward the end of this corridor.

The area opened up into an abandoned tunnel as the four halted, their gazes casting around in caution. Abandoned train tracks led away into the distance on their left while several pieces of forgotten machinery sat silent about the yard. A trolley car sat on a siding to the right at a platform, the windows covered in a strange honeycomb of graying material. Beyond the trolley, the tunnel was blocked off by a wall of concrete, preventing any further travel in that direction.

Cindy looked down, her right foot inches away from a small puddle of blood. It trailed to the trolley…uneven sizes of splotches that had dried hours ago.

"Did somebody else make it down here?" She lightly asked the others as she moved toward the trolley. More crimson was spread across the exterior metalwork in a desperate handprint as the waitress approached.

"If they did, I don't think they made it…there could be a zombie or two in there" Rita warned as she hurried toward her fellow survivor. Stepping onto the trolley platform near the rear doorway that was stuck open by strands of heavy webbing, both women peered inside as the others kept a lookout.

There was a corpse propped up against the wall inside, legs stretched out as a look of pure horror contorted the face. The body had been distorted, large cysts of yellow growing out of the exposed skin…and underneath the dirty clothing. The man's tongue was hanging out of his mouth, purple and overgrown from vile swelling. A flamethrower was grasped in purplish-black hands that had been ravaged by poison, the fingers like sausages as three shells lay between his legs.

"Are those…bee stings?" Cindy whispered in fear at the diseased wounds that reminded her of out of control zits.

"I think they are" Rita replied as she looked around at the hive like materials hanging from the walls and ceiling. It appeared abandoned, but it really didn't bode well for her imagination. The blonde officer gulped…feeling like they had entered some new nightmare.

Cindy scooted closer, grimacing with eyes squeezed shut while wrenching the weapon away. She felt some of the fingers crack…breaking from stiffness. "Rita. I think those are grenade shells" Cindy tried to say normally.

"Yeah, I see them"

She could still feel the greasy oils were the man had gripped this implement of fire. Rapidly vacating the abandoned trolley as Rita took the newly found ammunition, Cindy studied the new flamethrower. It was relatively simple in design with a napalm tank slung underneath as the nozzle waited to be lit with a spark. Styled much like a rifle, the blonde woman studied the apparatus before toggling a small switch to ignite the needed flame.

"Are you sure you want to light that already?" Elizabeth asked with uncertainty and a cocked brow.

Cindy looked upward, here blue eyes picking out more of those honeycomb hives tucked into the old ceiling of this tunnel. "We should hurry…this place feels dangerous…"

"She's right…I don't like what these hives could mean" Elliot input as more seemed to loom out of every hanging corner.

Hoping off the platform to the dusty ground below, Cindy wrapped the weapons strap around her left shoulder to support the new weight as the four moved down the tunnel with due haste.

They had only been walking for a minute when the first subway car came into view from the dimness ahead. Derailed along the left wall, it was slightly tilting across the tracks. Most of the windows were broken…dark with shadows as the stainless steel sat with a heavy coating of dust. Attached to a second car further ahead, the four humans distinctly heard a hungry rasp coming from the first car.

Two zombies appeared, butting against one of the still intact windows as their diseased hands clawed at the plexiglass. Covered in similar bulbous stings, they gave the impression of rotten oranges…then the echoing of buzzing graced the still air.

"Hey…you hear that?" Elizabeth asked in a drip of newfound fear. Frantically looking around for the source, the buzzing grew louder.

Elliot was the first to discover the metal door set into a wall alcove on their right. Partially open as a light flickered beyond, more of that hive webbing was growing from the corner in a tangle of honeycomb.

"That door! Run!" The male barked, having no intention on fighting that increasingly dreadful buzzing sound.

The women sprinted, shoes falling heavy as they ran with the dreadful sound getting closer and closer. Elizabeth reached it first, slamming her shoulder into the heavy metal in a serious blow.

It hurt…causing a gasp of pain while the mayor's daughter surged through into another hallway. A zombie rasped, the former female slowly turning toward the intrusion of humans as it stood in an intersection twenty feet away. A zombie bite adorned her arm…ragged bits of flesh missing while old stings of growing pus covered her face and neck. Raising her gun, Elizabeth fired once…twice…two more times as gunshots cracked and echoed along the walls.

The corpse fell from that last round piercing the forehead, but none of the others were too concerned as that vile buzzing grew closer.

Elliot saw them coming out of the tunnel's darkness beyond the ruined subway car. The size of cats or a small dog, the familiar colors of yellow and black along with the pointed stingers gave them away. Slamming the door shut just in time, Elliot breathed heavily as the insects slammed into the now closed door like tiny hammers.

"Bees…god damn bees…" He whispered with controlled fright. He wanted to run…to just get away from this nightmare and the monsters around every turn.

The three women were already moving, covering the hallway intersection near the fallen zombie.

There were three doors in plain view. One straight ahead and marked _Emission Tower_ while more small hives hung in the upper corner near the ceiling. Another doorway was to their right, leading to some management offices that were easily seen with the wooden door broken open. The third was down the right hand hallway, which was already being investigated by Rita.

"The Control Room. We should check it out" the officer suggested before twisting the knob and walking in.

Rita wanted to gag…the smell was probably one of the worst she ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Four corpses were piled in the corner past the wall of consoles and system machinery. Grotesque faces of fear and death greeted her…covered by tiny bees that crawled among the leathery hide. The old sting wounds had grown to blisters…and erupted across their ruined bodies, covering the clothing in a horrid yellow pus substance that stank like bile. Maggots crawled…feasting while growing fat on the deceased.

"Oh god!" Elizabeth cried out as she doubled over and coughed heavily in the doorway. The smell had assaulted her, making eyes water and breathing difficult. Waving away Cindy and Elliot, the two blonde women breathed through their mouths in an attempt to keep the smell at bay.

Hacking loudly, Rita studied the nearby control station and computers. Some sticky substances graced the keyboards…bile she had no inclination of touching as the tiny bees buzzed around the corpses in the corner. They hadn't been disturbed and the officer planned on keeping it that way.

An alarm blinked red in the far-right corner, the bulb casting random crimson across the two women. Lined next to five other lights that hummed blue on the electrical panel, the duo saw a row of power switches below each light. Each marked for different areas of this facility, the one for the elevator continued to blink red.

Flipping it back on was a simple affair by Rita, the officer's hand pushing the lever upward to lock in place with a _click_.

"Liz, we need to get moving"

Elizabeth felt the low thrumming of generators nearby as they regained purpose, but she ignored it as her eyes studied the pile of corpses…and the lone box of 9mm ammunition laying nearby. The tiny bees buzzed…the stench almost forming lines as she rushed forward and snatched the box. The insects grew agitated…their low beating of wings growing harsher.

The two sprinted from the control room, slamming the door shut as the vile insects started to form a roiling ball of wasps and bees.

Elizabeth turned to Rita, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Ammo. Can't go to waste" Pulling the red box open, the stunning…but grime covered woman counted twenty newly found bullets. Beginning to reload, Cindy and Elliot kept watch at the nearby intersection.

"Should we search the office?"

"No Cindy, we need to get that last component. Searching through piles of paperwork and office supplies won't help with that" officer Edwards responded as they waited on the mayor's daughter to finish her task.

A newly reloaded magazine slammed home, the slide cocking back as Elizabeth gave a curt nod to the others. Not speaking anymore words, the four survivors trotted to the end of the hallway.

Opening the metal door, the group was bombarded with the rampant buzzing of bees and the vile odor of rancid nests.

Looking upward at the emission tower covered in hives and webbing, Elliot along with the three women felt the fear climb back as dozens of bees buzzed and flicked around the circular structure. In the center was an elevator shaft enclosed by steel beams and supports while the lift itself sat on the ground floor twenty feet away.

"That's…a lot of large bees" Cindy whispered, her slender fingers holding the flamethrower tighter. She was suddenly very glad to have this weapon.

The first of the mutated insects turned, wings beating like a saw as the compound eyes studied the humans. Its stinger dripped a green liquid, dropping to the floor with a small hiss…then it started to fly toward the survivors.

Cindy didn't hesitate to try and reason why she shouldn't kill these mutated insects. Squeezing the trigger of her flamethrower, a small spurt of fire belched out. Consuming the approaching bee the size of a small dog, it gave a nightmarish scream as the interior liquids cooked and sizzled. Falling to the concrete floor as a charred mass, its death seemed to kick of the anger of the hive.

"GET ON THE ELEVATOR NOW!" Elliot bellowed as the four sprinted toward the platform. Shoes falls echoed as the male slammed the security gate shut, but it wouldn't stop anything due to how open this platform was to attack.

Elizabeth threw the switch, and the lift began to rise with a squeal of pulleys and machinery. Grasping her pistol, she moved to the center of the elevator as a large yellowjacket swooped at her head. Trying to draw a bead, the woman clenched her teeth in frustration.

"They move too erratic! I can't get a shot!" the mayor's daughter yelled in dread as another mutated insect dove for Elliot. It almost stung his shoulder, ripping the fabric of his uniform in passage before buzzing away.

The male police officer raised his gun and fired, trying to strike the assailant, but all he did was hit the distant wall as the threat buzzed away in a turn. "She's right! They're too fast!"

"Leave it to me!" Cindy said with utmost confidence while the elevator continued to climb and climb the shaft. Three of the deadly bees bore on the blonde waitress, stingers dripping with deadly poison as they flitted past the metalwork of the safety railing.

A spurt of flame burnt the air, stenching napalm and fuel filling the survivor's nostrils as the fire consumed the deadly insects like kindling. Falling to the flooring, one twitched with embers cooking the fur as Rita shouted.

"Cindy! Four O'clock!"

"Got it!"

The blonde turned on her heel, a small bit of happiness at her ability to help growing prominent. Four of the swarm swopped toward the group, their pinchers dripping with nectar. Another roiling arc of fire shot from Cindy's weapon like a stream, illuminating the air as the insects fell under the assault of heat. Fluids crackled and popped with their deaths, stinking like burning hair and diseased flesh.

"Cindy! Swarm at your twelve!" Elliot shouted out with a pointed finger. He still grasped his gun, but knew he would be just wasting valuable ammunition as more of the buzzing insects swooped downward from a collection of honeycombed hives along the tower walls.

There were a dozen of the deadly insects, their stingers glistening with poison and impending death while their wings beat and flicked the bulbous bodies past more support beams.

"I see them!" the flamethrower woman yelled out. Squeezing off another stream of flame, it hissed through the air before consuming more of the deadly hornets and bumblebees in a fury of fire. Insect bodies fell, burnt to blackened crisps as Cindy turned to another shout of warning.

"Why won't this elevator go faster!?" Elizabeth cried as she ducked from two more of the swarming bees. Their stingers tore the air where she had been, her balance faulty as she fell to onto her buttocks with a small 'ooff'

"It's almost there!" Cindy yelled in support as she sent another stream of flame at the bees near the fallen blonde. It burned the air…a rancid stink like fuel as more of the insects wrinkled like paper. More buzzing came from behind Lennox, her head spinning with her body as three more came at her and the others with deadly intent. The flamethrower spurt another stream of fire, crackling like bubble wrap against the insect flesh and hair. The trio of bugs fell, cooked a horrid ebony just as the elevator stopped at the top-most level. The bees retreated at that point, their losses staggering while the lone man opened the safety guard rail.

"Let's get that damn ingredient!" Elliot said loudly while stepping onto the long catwalk. Running across the top of the emission tower, he was alone in his haste to reach the V-Poison resting in a piece of equipment fifty feet away. He didn't know why it was all the way up here…nor really care. All he wanted was to retrieve said object and hopefully find an escape before the nuke was fired.

"Raccoon City…" Rita whispered with a haunted gasp as the other two women stared outward from the top of the emission tower behind the university. The infected moans were carried on the nightly breeze, mixed with the scent of ash and decay. Whole neighborhoods were engulfed in flames, the raging infernos unchecked as emergency lights flickered and strobed far away.

Collisions and traffic snarls clogged the streets everywhere among the dead who still wandered among the flashing red and blue of emergency vehicles long since abandoned.

"The freeway…it's a mess" Elizabeth voiced in shock at the raised ribbon of concrete across the city. It was a never-ending stream of abandoned cars and trucks, many in accidents on the roadway toward the Arklay Tunnel. It was too far to tell if there were zombies on the thoroughfare, but it was likely.

Several scattered gunshots rang through the air…but they were quickly silenced by a following scream of terror. It was overwhelmed by beastly howls of monsters…of the thousands of infected as Cindy raised a few fingers to her lips in a gasp.

"All those poor people…" She wanted to cry. All her friends at J's Bar…in her apartment building and neighborhood…they were most likely nothing but zombies now…or food for some genetic horror.

Elliot returned at that time, his face a passive scowl while the night breeze tried to ruffle the survivor's hair and dirty clothes. Fresh grime and a few flecks of ash graced them all, but they had long since stopped caring.

"I found the V-poison. We can make the cure now" Edwards said in a hollow tone. His sight picked up the distant R.P.D. the building a burning char of flame and dancing embers toward the midnight sky. Making sure the valuable canister was secured in his hip pouch, he rested an exhausted hand on Rita's shoulder. "We need to go…before we run out of time"

"I know…" Turning back to the elevator, the four tried to push away the cataclysm consuming Raccoon City and all those that had perished because of the Umbrella Corporation.

**October 3****rd**** 3:02 a.m. **

Back tracking through the abandoned subway, the treatment plant and the assorted hallways was relatively easy for the survivors. Due to them clearing the path before hand, threats were very low with the exception of a lone zombie making its appearance. The corpse was dealt with easily by Elizabeth and Elliot despite the poor marksmanship of both. Reaching the university elevator once more, the survivors dealt with the gore and pieces of bodies clogging the lift as the machinery hummed them to the third floor.

Stepping into the tiled corridor of the university, the four found it silent and deserted under florescent lights.

"Empty…" Rita simply observed while her eyes tracked to the door halfway down the hall on her left. Set into the right wall, the female officer hurried to the doorway with practiced caution. Twisting the knob as the others took up station, she moved into the room.

"Is this the laboratory that note talked about?" Cindy inquired. Casting her gaze about with the others, she found it a relief there were no bodies or spatters of blood. Just…scientific equipment waiting for use. A second door adorned the opposite wall near more equipment, but it was closed for the moment.

"It has to be. And this-" Elizabeth walked toward a small centrifuge on a work bench, three recesses waiting to be filled as a single light burned red above a green button. "The centrifuge for making **Daylight**" the busty blonde finished as she stepped aside.

"I really hope we didn't do all that crap for nothing" Edwards groused as he placed the V-Poison into the first slot.

"We didn't. I'm sure of it" Cindy supported with hope as she and Rita placed their own components. Pushing the green button moments later, the apparatus started to hum and spin to make the priceless cure.

"How long do you think it will take?" Rita asked the others as she sat down in a nearby chair. Relief washed up her legs and sore muscles from the simple motion, her body welcoming the rest.

"I dunno…" Miss Warren murmured, her eyes watching the machinery work. Deciding to lean against a nearby table, the woman crossed her arms beneath her ample bust. Closing her eyes, she briefly prayed and thought of Leon. Elizabeth really wanted to see him again as the four settled in to wait for the Daylight cure.

It took over an hour and a half…a valuable stress of diminishing time. But the group had not sat around idle during this wait. They had explored the following rooms. The machinery storage room was thoroughly searched, resulting in an extra box of explosive shells for Rita's M-79…and an AR-15 resting on a shelf with two fully loaded magazines.

Elizabeth took the rifle, listening to a quick rundown by Rita and Elliot on proper use and reloading. Earnestly familiarizing herself with the rifle, the mayor's daughter knew it was best to take it. Who knows what they would face in the unloading yard.

Further exploring by the four revealed a second hall…and a dead man slumped over his desk by a gunshot through his forehead. He wore an umbrella nametag, revealing his identity of Greg Mueller. But aside from a pistol resting on the surface near the wiped computer, there was nothing to take. A secondary door was behind the workstation, but the survivors let it be until the cure was finished.

**4:43 a.m.**

Rita grasped the newly created **Daylight**, the liquid inside almost glowing with pale whiteness before she stored it in her hip pouch. Standing in the laboratory, the tired group knew that traveling through the university would take too long…not to mention the zombies now filling the halls.

"We're taking that secondary door. We just don't have the time to fight though the building again" Edwards instructed as they quickly moved through adjoining rooms. Walking toward that door behind the dead man's desk, the survivors filed through into a sterile hallway. The walls were white…almost aching in their cleanliness as machinery hummed and ticked on a continuous loop.

The right path led to a staircase, the steps leading downward. But the left…

"What in the hell is that?" Elizabeth asked with a tremble of growing fear. Subconsciously the four took a step backward from the giant cylindrical test tube filled with blue liquid…and a monster within.

It was a giant, sexless being of rock-hard muscle. The skin was gray, marred with numerous surgical scars along the torso and neck. The body was completely hairless, almost smooth in the suspended liquid as several medical sensors continued to read the vitals. A grotesque heart pumped slowly, hidden behind an exterior rib cage of bone and sinewy muscle.

"Is…is that Thanatos…the one mentioned in that note?" Cindy whispered in horror at the nightmare before her. Glancing at the limbs, she found the legs rippling with silent power. And the right arm…it wasn't normal. Unlike the left limb that was proportional to the body, the right was larger…and ended in a large claw for the right hand.

The bubbles rose in a cascade…and Thanatos's eyes began to crack open.

"Run…RUN!" Rita screamed as the four turned and sprinted for the staircase. The horror of that monstrosity…the evil she felt coming off of it. _"Who could make such a thing?"_ She asked herself as their feet pounded down the flight of stairs in haste and fear.

Elliot reached the first floor first, the others close behind as another sterile hallway stretched for dozens of feet before him. Mostly bare except for wording stenciled on the wall and a metal door in the far-left corner, he realized they were in that locked 'Testing Passage'

'_**RRROOOOOOOOAAAARRRR!'**_

"Shit…" he gulped, the fear crawling up into the pit of his stomach as that monstrous howl shook the walls. His feet moved with the others, aiming for that locked door in the hopes of losing Thanatos.

The walls shook, vibrating under attack as crumbling material was heard outside this hallway. The far wall exploded inward moments later, causing the four to pause at the horror before them.

Thanatos stood tall, towering over seven and a half feet while dust and crumbling debris rained down onto the scarred shoulders. Stepping through the newly formed hole, it bared its teeth in his lipless mouth.

"CRAP!" Rita screamed out as she fired the M-79 in reactive fear at the monster. An explosive shell flew, traveling in a split second along the hallway before impacting the chest. Fire and shrapnel bloomed, barely felt by the beast as it growled…and flexed its sharpened right hand of knives.

Rita reloaded, panic in her movements as Elizabeth fired the AR-15. Gunfire reflected along the wall under a staccato of bullets that were a poor grouping at best. Empty brass fell, clinking like desolate music as Thanatos started to lean forward to rush and kill the survivors.

The Elephant gun bucked against his shoulder, aching the muscles again as the heavy shell struck the area near the heart. It was a great shot by Elliot, but the man didn't bother to admire his work as the tyrant fell to one knee.

"GO! NOW!" The man screamed out as he reloaded on the run. The four flowed past the stunned creation, finding themselves in the hallway toward the locked loading doors. Frantically pulling out the keycard, Edwards swiped it in fearful haste at the card reader.

The light flashed green and the door clicked, unlocking as he charged it open with a shoulder bash.

Rita turned as the others flowed out, sending another grenade shot at the slowly recovering beast. Fire washed over its back as metal bits flew, but it was already standing.

"Dammit!" Reaching into her hip pouch, the policewoman yanked out her lone fragmentation grenade. Pulling the pin with adrenaline fueled fingers, she threw it down the hallway before dashing outside into the loading yard.

"There! That door!" Cindy pointed with a cry as the grenade exploded inside the university. Located to their right past a few deceased bodies in the yard, the four fled for all they were worth as Thantos roared in fury.

It made them want to piss themselves.

The waitress barreled through the passage, her shoulder crying in pain at the blow. Clutching her flamethrower, she found herself standing near an abandoned flatbed trailer. Thanatos roared again…and the four sprinted past the desolate trailer.

"Oh god…oh god…" Elizabeth cried as she sprinted past the vehicle. There were more…a few forgotten cars and trucks along with another semi truck.

The wall crashed behind them, the beast furious as brick splintered under the weight of surgically enhanced muscle. Roaring again, Thanatos leaped into the air…and landed twenty feet away on top of the trailer near Cindy. Snarling, it swiped at the girl who dodged right. One of the claws bit her shoulder, tearing flesh and skin while drawing blood that flowed in rivulets.

"Ahhh!"

The cry of terror kept the monster's attention, Thantos lightly hopping down to finish the survivor.

Cindy raised her flamethrower, ignoring the fresh wound along her left shoulder that burned with pain. Squeezing the trigger, she sent a stream of roiling fire at the beast that ate and crackled at gray flesh.

"Cindy! Move!" Elliot hollered while Rita and Elizabeth sent a hail of bullets and grenades at Thanatos. It grunted…fire licking at the pecs and neck while turning to the fresh assault.

"Damn…damn now I know how Jill felt with Nemesis!" Rita gasped as she reloaded a fresh shell. Elizabeth barely nodded, just sending a stream of bullets into the foe twenty feet away. Many missed, but she kept firing…until the AR-15 clicked empty.

"No…dammit!'" She cried while her fingers fumbled for her secondary magazine.

Elliot fired his last shot for the Elephant gun, the round snapping the air before slamming center mass into Thanatos. Rita fired again as the abomination grunted…and it charged at her with a raised claw.

She barely escaped the slash, rolling to the side in a harsh tumble that scraped up her forearms on the concrete. Fresh cuts seeped blood as she scrambled to her feet, turning to fire once again.

"Take this!" Cindy yelled in frustration and anger, her body only a few feet away from the tyrant as she sent another stream of liquid fire into its back. Flames ate and crackled along the flesh, angering Thanatos as he turned to swipe. The knives sung, cutting the air…and barely missing Cindy who was yanked back by Elliot.

"Don't get too close!" he cried out before he raised his berretta and fired. Pistol shots rang out with Elizabeth as she finally reloaded. Pressing the rifle to her shoulder, the mayoral daughter breathed to steady her shaking hands.

Thanatos roared, fresh burn marks and shrapnel cuts marring the already scarred flesh.

"The heart! Aim for the heart!" Rita yelled out as she sent another sailing grenade from her M-79. The shell burst near the offending organ cage, breaking some of the bone and muscle protecting the vital heart as it thumped and beat.

"_That makes sense. It did stagger when Elliot shot it earlier…" _Taking a few steps back, Liz pressed the rifle to her shoulder as Thanatos stepped forward. His claws had a few drips of blood still gracing the tips from hitting Cindy…and the bald head had a few fresh burns. But it was still terrifying.

She squeezed the trigger, taking time to aim short bursts instead of a full magazine. Bullets snapped…sang through the air as the murderous tyrant started to crouch for a second charge.

Leon would be proud as the first three rounds struck the heart cage…and shattered the exterior bone. The next burst of six bullets were even more effective as they tore into the beating heart…and incited ruin. Spurts of blood shot out from the pressure, arcing across the pavement…but miss Warren kept firing as the other survivors lent their own weight of munitions. Pistol rounds impacted the chest. Another explosive shell burst near the weak point, sowing shrapnel and wounds. Even Cindy used the remaining fuel of her flamethrower to burn the abomination as it growled and grunted in agony.

Thanatos collapsed to the ground, its back to the breaking dawn as the survivors gasped.

"Is it dead?" Cindy asked in disbelief. Dropping the flamethrower that finally ran dry, the weapon clattered as the monster lay still.

"Let's not wait around to check" Elliot warned while he dropped the large rifle. It had served its purpose…which had kept them alive through several fights. Still though…he would miss it as the group of survivors started to run along the unloading passage.

"Cindy? How's the shoulder?" Rita asked in concern as she made sure a fresh shell was loaded. She still had a few left, but they hadn't made it yet.

"I'll be alright. It's not serious" the kind hearted woman replied despite the burning cut and the pain of bleeding. Rita gave a quick nod, knowing that it could have been much worse. Finding the next doorway, the exhausted survivors pushed through to the rear courtyard.

It was circular…large and abandoned as numerous cars and trucks blocked any further access to the back roads behind the university. Beyond…the dead walked and rasped, unknowing of the human's present.

"No…it's a dead end?" Liz whispered as she looked around for any path…a working car…a truck…anything. An ambulance was nearby…overturned with gore splashed near the open doors. It was ransacked…probably by zombies in the past as the moans of the dead grew ever present in the breaking dawn.

Distant thumping…beating rotors pierced the veil of the infected city and acrid plumes of smoke and ash in the necropolis. The first rays of sunlight were piercing the horizon…and the four knew instantly what it was.

"Find a flare! Anything to signal that helicopter!" Elliot yelled out as he scrambled to the ambulance. Scrambling inside, he frantically began to search as Rita and Liz started to search a nearby utility truck…

**October 3****rd**** 5:23 a.m. RFD-03**

Dawn was breaking…the first rays of sunlight shining over the cataclysm below.

The city burned…an apocalypse of the undead that could be seen in the roadways below as buildings became engulfed in blaze. Glowing embers shot up into the dawn air, shifting under the beating rotors of the fire department helicopter.

"I don't see anybody…there has to be some survivors, right?" Gill asked Danny who was piloting the craft. Both of them were African American, Gill a bald man with a larger frame, and Danny sporting a short crew cut. Still wearing their fire fighting gear, the two men were probably the last firefighters alive in Raccoon City. A bloody axe sat in the footwell near Gill's feet, evidence of the fight to even reach the helicopter just hours before.

"At this point…I doubt it. The military is firing a nuke in barely half an hour and we need to be clear of the blast zone before then" Danny answered in his deeper baritone voice. Banking lightly, a flare shot into the sky as the aircraft passed over the destroyed clock tower.

Crackling orange on a streak of light, both firemen's eyes grew wide.

"Did you see-"

"Yeah…the university" Pushing the stick forward, Danny and Gill felt the helicopter increase speed to the flare's source. Flying over ruined roadways clogged with the dead and eventually over Raccoon University itself after a few minutes, the shorter man brought the helicopter lower as another flare was fired.

"The back yard! Survivors!" Gill pointed, his fingers stretched in a point to the rear courtyard. There were four of them…three women and a man waving their arms frantically as several dead beat against the wall of a vehicle barricade around the yard. They were shouting…jumping up and down as Danny brought the helicopter into a slow decent. Softly landing as the rotors beat up a hail of dust and air, Gill moved to the side door.

Rolling it open, his darkened face smiled at the four who rushed forward. "You folks are lucky. We almost gave—"

A roar bellowed nearby…monstrous and full of shuddering evil that chilled Gill to the bone. The fact he heard it over the whirling beating of the helicopter…scared him.

"It's still alive…Get on! Get on now!" Elliot roared over the beating blades as dust kicked up. Practically pushing Cindy onto the fire department helicopter, the man waited to be last as Elizabeth and Rita scrambled into the vehicle. Climbing on last past Gill, the two men were closing the sliding door just as Thanatos landed in the courtyard. Cracking brick below its powerful legs, the heart thudded with a red glow as veins bulged and pulsed across the torso like a cancer.

"What the fuck is…"

"GO! GET US THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" Rita screamed in absolute terror. _"How is it still alive!?"_

Danny didn't need to be told twice as his eyes studied the muscular abomination only thirty feet away. Everything about it screamed death…destruction and suffering. Pulling back on the control stick, his face went grim.

"Hold onto your butts!" Pulling into the sky, Thantos jumped…and missed the rising helicopter of survivors by mere inches. The sharpened claws hissed the air…slicing were the craft had just been. Howling in rage as it fell to earth, it watched with beady red eyes as the prey escaped.

Elliot leaned back in the seat in relief, Gill finally closing the door as the howling wind eased. It was still loud, but quiet enough to not be a bother. _"I made it…I actually made it…"_

"We made it…we actually made it" Rita said in a tone filled with exhaustion. Looking around at Cindy…Elizabeth and Elliot…she smiled that they survived.

"You four look like you've been through hell" Gill said loudly over the beating of machinery.

"We have…" Cindy replied lightly. Leaning her head back against the rest, she could see the city fading below giving way to the suburbs.

"Do you think Jill…Marvin...Wendy? Do you think they made it?" the mayor's daughter asked in guilt. She felt horrible…they could all be dead and here she was flying to safety. Setting the AR-15 between her legs, the woman felt exhaustion taking hold. Slowly closing her eyes, she fell asleep in moments as the helicopter kept flying away from the burning metropolis.

"I hope so" Rita replied in hollow tone. Looking at her wristwatch, the shorter officer saw the time. "Only thirteen minutes left…"

Gill moved to the co-pilot seat, his gaze onto the coming horizon as Danny flew them over the Arklay Mountains.

"How are they?"

"Tired…traumatized…who knows what they saw down there" Looking back, he studied the two police officers as they kept a vigil over the other two beaten and exhausted survivors.

The helicopter broke over the foggy mountains, heading toward an evacuation point near the Arklay Tunnel exit. Banking lightly to the gathered rescue workers and military still miles away, Danny kept a firm grip on the control stick.

A thunderclap of noise…the rushing of several missiles racing over the mountains from the direction of Mayville to the West. Flying on streaks of flame that woke the two sleeping women with a start, the nukes flew on their course toward the dead city.

"So long…Raccoon" Rita whispered as her eyes watched the trail of fire to her old home. The helicopter lowered to the evacuation point, and Rita knew it was only a matter of minutes until the destruction of Raccoon City was complete. Looking at her hip pouch with the vial of Daylight, she felt the anger of what Umbrella had done…and promised to share this cure with the world…

The helicopter settled down to the impromptu landing pad in the parking lot, and Cindy turned to see emergency workers rushing toward them. Letting out a small smile as the vehicle powered down, she rolled the sliding door open as the morning sun broke over more of the mountains to the East in a flow of warmth.

"_I made it…I survived…"_

**Damn! It took a few weeks to write this one! Mainly because of long work days and mental exhaustion, but I finished it! The four made it! Yeah…I could've killed Elliot at some point, but he dies in canon and I really like the other three. But I hope you all enjoy their escape from Raccoon City! But should I write Jill, Ada, and Leon next? Or Wendy and her group? Ah, I'll think about it the next few days. Still, I hope everybody enjoys this chapter. And if you don't..oh well. **

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Rita: I survived…holy crap**

**Elliot: Was sure I'd die by now**

**Elizabeth: We need to tell what happened here. We can't let Umbrella get away with this! **_**"And win over Leon when he shows up…"**_

**Cindy: My mom and Dad…I need to see them. Let them know I'm okay**

**This is thehappy signing off!**


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